Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Minister for making sure that question will be answered as well in the coming correspondence. I just want to make sure that the Minister is well aware that this is a territorial initiative, not a Yellowknife initiative. There are companies, construction, various other types of service type industries getting on board with the Certificate of Recognition through the Territory whether they are in Hay River, Norman Wells, Inuvik. It is quite a broad program involving large and small businesses. Is the Minister aware that it is a territorial program that several...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the October session I asked questions regarding the COR program, the Certificate of Recognition to the Minister of Public Works about implementing it into the territorial tendering process which would help raise standards in our tendering process. We would also get better and more proficient tenders that proceed on our government projects. Mr. Speaker, at the time, I had inquired with the Minister if he would look into that process to see if we could move down that road as, for example, the Yukon has, and start with large projects and work our way down to the smaller...

I’ll agree with the Minister that there was an error in the report and that was the decision to transfer it back. I heard from LHO people that this was starting to straighten out. I heard from people on income support who were going through their housing application process that it made sense after a while. I heard from people administering the program that it was really at the end of the day an administration and communication problem was to make sure that the little boxes that got checked at income support fed on through to the folks at LHOs. Was the administration problem and communication...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My oral questions today will be following my Member’s statement: the issue with the fact that income support is now transferring back the administration of the housing to the LHO.

I appreciate my colleague from Hay River South who stood up to speak against it. She clearly announced this morning that she would, so I knew she’d let my statement go before hers. But one thing she didn’t talk about is the fact that we’ve got 14 positions out there that were in this original transfer and the fact that it cost $1.5 million to carry this on. So she must be in favour of the fact...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I stand today probably as the only voice for common sense to express my concern and opposition for the administration of the public housing where they’re going to switch it back from income support to the LHOs.

As we all know, there are challenges with any program, and when the government decided to switch the program over, the administration from Housing to ECE, it caused quite an uproar. Mr. Speaker, it also cost in the range of $1.5 million at that date to undertake that project. Mr. Speaker, now the government has announced, on page 14 of the budget...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will not argue that the number one issue here is to protect to make sure that the livelihood of the caribou exists for people for many generations beyond, if not forever, but the fact is the board is the one that needs to be making the decision. Has the GNWT done anything to help support this board so they can meet in a timely way? Because this issue just didn’t fall in their lap in December or this month of January. This is an issue that’s been building for some time. So what has the GNWT done to support them? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be directed to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources today and it’s to follow up on my Member’s statement.

Mr. Speaker, I was trying to raise an issue and certainly paint a picture about working together on this caribou issue. As everyone knows, it’s significant and it affects a lot of our constituents, not just here in Yellowknife but throughout this whole Territory. Mr. Speaker, my question directly to the Minister of ENR is: what efforts can the GNWT do to encourage the renewable board that should be overseeing the decision, the guidance...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleagues Mr. Bromley and Mr. Menicoche, I wish to raise the issue of the caribou.

As caribou is a significant matter and it’s reaching a fever pitch, Mr. Speaker, this Assembly needs to draw attention with the issue of this government’s authority over traditional hunting rights. There is talk about a pending legal challenge. Mr. Speaker, there is never a winner; only the lawyers, the media and the historians always come out ahead on that deal. The question of the day is: what efforts have been made together to find a meaningful solution? Only together in...

Thank you. I appreciate the answer from the Minister, but what can the GNWT do to make sure that they are meeting and discussing this issue? What’s holding them back specifically? They are the ones that need to be making this decision and they are the ones that need to be guiding the future of this problem. Thank you.

This government needs to find a way to support the board in making a timely decision, because this is a critical issue for all. I am confident that a balanced solution can be found. I believe a strategy to address limited hunting to make sure caribou is on the tables of those who need it to eat, Mr. Speaker. I believe that there are options out there that could help develop a limited hunting process with tags to help manage the harvest. Mr. Speaker, I also know that we could find a fair and respectful way to do this together. Mr. Speaker, there are options out there. I think this government’s...