Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the use of laptop computers and hand-held electronic devices continue to be administered through the sole discretion of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly or the chair of Committee of the Whole, and if the user of any electronic device is deemed to impinge on the decorum or dignity of the House, the offending Member may be ordered to discontinue use.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Members be permitted to use laptop computers and other hand-held electronic devices only during Committee of the Whole proceedings; and further, that laptop computers and other hand-held electronic communication devices are not to be used by a Member who has the floor; and further, that a Member who has the floor must have his or her laptop computer closed and/or his or her hand-held electronic device turned off.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Clerk’s office undertake an evaluation of an On-line Petition Pilot Program after June 30, 2011; and further, that the evaluation be provided to the Members of the 17th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Legislative Assembly approve the implementation of an On-line Petition Pilot Program to allow for the presentation of petitions from on-line petitions websites associated with the Legislative Assembly website to be operational from the period of October 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, quite simply, I can’t say I have known a better man. Mr. Whitford is truly an honour to know and a blessing to get to know. I’ve had the good fortune, like many Members, colleagues and friends of this House, to know Mr. Whitford and I look forward to knowing more about him as the years go on.

I’ve known him for awhile and one thing seems to be clear everywhere I go is the fact that he’s certainly a man of the people. And if not one more step I could take and say he truly is a man of the people and the people love him. Anywhere I go I see him as such a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With all due respect, those are fantastic things. I don’t mean that they aren’t, but the fact is those tend to be the end of the road decisions that people are making. The fact is they tend to be the last minute when people don’t know what to do. I guess that is sort of the whole purpose of my set of questions today here, is the fact that the awareness of these types of things seems to continue to be significantly low and how important they are cannot be magnified enough, these gifts of life that we can provide other people, whether it is blood, a kidney, a lung and...

Mr. Speaker, what type of public campaign or information awareness campaign does the GNWT provide for the citizens of the Northwest Territories here so they know they could consider this option? How are they approached on the particular subject? I have been made aware that most people don’t know anything about it. I would like to find out what the government is doing to make sure that it is available, whether people want to register for kidney donation or other types of matters, that they know where to go and what to do and how our government supports that. What does the government actually do...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague Mr. Abernethy, Member for Great Slave, I, too, wish to speak to the issue of stem cell challenge clinics here in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, over the lunch hour, I actually went down with a group of friends to meet this challenge head on. Several of us wanted to ensure that we participated, because many of us believe that this is an important program that does save lives. Mr. Speaker, sadly, as we know very well, more people die waiting for a donor than receive them and we certainly wish that wasn’t the case.

Mr. Speaker, the process really...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the guidelines governing the use of laptop computers and hand-held electronic devices be set out in a document entitled Direction Regarding the Use of Electronic Communication Devices in Committee of the Whole and that the document be attached as an appendix to the rules of the Legislative Assembly.

That’s the final motion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that any electronic device used in the Chamber must be on silent mode at all times.