Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does "I am willing to work with the Member" mean that, yes, they will do this? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, although I may be strong on the Justice side of the concerns of dealing with the drugs and alcohol when I talk about wanting to bring forward the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, I'm also a firm believer that it's part and parcel with treatment programs. So, Mr. Speaker, I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services in that regard. I'm aware of no formal policy that has a follow-up program for people who go out for treatment, Mr. Speaker, so my philosophy is it's a lot cheaper to call people and ask them how they're doing as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it’s time for an independent review of the situation. We have the affordability in the sense that parents can’t afford to pay for day care, we have the affordability sense…

---Interjection

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the fact is, the government must make sure that day care is accessible and reliable to all her citizens and definitely our parents, because we have to be providing programs for those we care about most.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister later today, because day care matters, truly matters, to my constituency and the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to speak today of day care matters. Yes, Mr. Speaker, day care matters to families in the North and in particular to my constituents.

We have to take a serious look at the state of affairs for our children and their care, Mr. Speaker. How do we provide day care in the NWT? Do we do sufficient work? Do we provide sufficient standards to make sure that they’re safe in that place? Do we provide appropriate training? Do we provide access to training? Do we provide appropriate funding? We need to take a serious look at how we fund these agencies and...

WHEREAS Rule 85 requires that Members be appointed to the Standing Committee on Social Programs;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that the following Members be appointed to the Standing Committee on Social Programs:

Ms. Wendy Bisaro, the Member for Frame Lake;

Mr. Glen Abernethy, the Member for Great Slave;

Mr. Robert C. McLeod, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes;

Mr. Tom Beaulieu, the Member for Tu Nedhe;

Mr. Bob Bromley, the Member for Weledeh;

AND FURTHER, that the following Members be appointed to the Standing Committee on Social Programs as alternate Members:

M...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, November 29, 2007, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that the following Members be appointed to the Standing Committee on Social Programs: Ms. Wendy Bisaro, the Member for Frame Lake; Mr. Glen Abernethy, the Member for Great Slave; Mr. Robert C. McLeod, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes; Mr. Tom Beaulieu, the Member for Tu Nedhe; Mr. Bob Bromley, the Member for Weledeh; and further, that the following Members be appointed to the Standing Committee on Social Programs as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly hope that this doesn’t speak to a trend that it takes a couple weeks to respond to me to tell me we’ll get back to you. So the fact is, when can we expect some type of response on this matter? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister be willing to share the proposal that this person has for marching orders to find out what the issues are, as well as when does he expect this report to be finalized and presented to the House or to committee? Thank you.

Yes, I do. Mr. Speaker, we have the affordability sense from the day cares of being able to have stable funding. So would the Minister be able to initiate a review to look into this problem to make sure funding is stable for these organizations and that parents can afford this? Will he look into this and create a review of this current state that we’re having? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.