Robert Hawkins

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 22)

I want to thank the Minister for that answer. That’s the type of answer they’re certainly looking for, is that the WSCC will listen and certainly evaluate, if not consider their response.

The other problem with changes to the regulations is the reality that changes mean money. One of the big fears is the cost of any of these potential regulations that will be happening. May I remind this House, and the Minister knows this, that there are almost 400 pages of regulations being updated. What is the WSCC doing to ensure that the administrative burden is not being ploughed down onto industry when...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Small and medium businesses are truly the breadbasket of our territorial economy. They are willing and able, and if I may say, resilient in their ways of finding just the right way of contributing to our North, whether it’s through their volunteerism or through their donations to the communities. But first and foremost, they are certainly one of the employers that are the building blocks of our North.

Mr. Speaker, outside of the government, without the small and medium businesses, our economy would be quite fledgling, and certainly the cost of living needs to be...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 21)

The only ones that seem to have respect for the process are the Members around this room. I’ve listened to my colleagues very cautiously and asked questions about this, and it’s a shame the agreement is out there. Does the Premier think he could maybe address the situation by the upcoming deadline when they’re looking for feedback from the aboriginal organizations that perhaps at that stage with their agreement? I stress that it is a partnership, as he’s well aware. Perhaps with the parties all in agreement they could work together with the plain language. Although technically it’s a bilateral...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to weigh in on the devolution issue that’s been raised by a number of my colleagues here today.

Firstly I’ll say it’s a real shame that it is now posted on the CBC website. I think that’s caused real ripples out there in the community. That being said, some of the aboriginal groups aren’t necessarily pleased. I know I had people looking at it and they’re concerned. People are wondering if it’s the real true document. It’s kind of like negotiating in public here. It’s really the future of the Northwest Territories and I think it’s a real shame that this...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 21)

Again, sort of just to narrow it down a little further to help clarify the confusion out there, I’d like to highlight again my concern, because it does seem insulting to many of the parties that are involved here in a very offensive type of way that it is now out there and the public are running around. It’s an open negotiation and it really shouldn’t be.

The reality here is, it’s there and we have to sort of deal with it. The question really comes down to is a plain language document one of the options that the Premier could conceivably be working on when he says there’s things they could look...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to highlight on-line petitions in my Member’s statement.

I am very pleased that the Legislative Assembly will soon be accepting on-line petitions here. It’s a new form of democracy being created right before our eyes, and I intend to promote this option to all the residents of Yellowknife Centre as well as throughout the North to all our northern constituents. I certainly hope Northerners will consider using this site to submit their petitions and make sure their voice is heard in this Assembly.

I was in favour of this direction from the start of our...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 17)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Anything that moves this forward even by an inch is a success, in my view. I want to get people into this treatment. Again, we’ll call it research, if that’s all we want to describe it as, although I know very well that it’s being used as real treatment for a lot of people.

As I said earlier, we have MS patients in my riding who would like to be part of this process. Is the Minister willing to get out there and reach out to the MS community to start finding out if there are people who would be willing to join the research, who would want to be involved in the...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 17)

Mr. Speaker, the issue before us here is the Minister is saying not enough science out there that says one way or the other. Saskatchewan believes that there is enough science out there to give this a try. If I have it correct, I believe Newfoundland is seriously looking at this and if you ask anybody who has received the treatment for liberation to help them, certainly they think the science exists, because they are travelling all over the world to get these types of things.

Not to be cynical, but may I remind the Minister, and certainly this House, that for years scientists said cigarettes...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 17)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about the liberation treatment offered to MS patients throughout the world. I’m hoping that the Minister of Health and Social Services here today will hear the call for some type of action on this particular issue.

Liberation treatment is now offering new hope in a way that has never been seen before when it comes to MS patients out there. They’ve had drug therapy and certainly physiotherapy to keep their lives in some type of order, but it is a problem that is pointing in one direction. Liberation treatment has come forward and is offering a new...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 17)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to provide a few guiding comments to the overall budget process. First and foremost, the process, I am very pleased we continue this with the fall capital budget. As I’ve indicated for a long time, it’s good to see that it continues this way. Our budget numbers are summed up in groups, therefore we haven’t spec’d out individual numbers and we haven’t made it too easy for those people who are bidding on the maximum of what we estimate our potential budget on a particular item is.

I have had a number of contractors tell me, though, even though...