Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight met on October 11, 2005, to review Bill 10, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act. Following the clause-by-clause review, a motion was carried to report Bill 10 to the Assembly as ready for Committee of the Whole. This concludes the committee's general comments on Bill 10. Individual committee members may have questions or comments as we proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, at this time committee would like to consider Bill 6 and Bill 10 in that order. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well I can appreciate the importance and the sensitivity of individual contracts, but the general broad brush scope of what a DM’s criteria of why they get their bonuses should be part of the management of this overall House. So, Mr. Speaker, I ask once again, would the Premier be willing to show us the type of targets and defining guidelines he’s going to have, to ensure that we have strong management and feel comfort with the crisis that we’re in, that we’re being led by good leaders in each department? Would he make those available to Members? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ll refer to my concerns I raised yesterday and even a year ago in this House. It’s about this government and its management in achieving the energy targets that I’ve spoken about so passionately. With respect to the DMs and their overall performance and management of their departments in this new energy crisis that grips us all, will the Premier look at developing and attaching targets and criteria that will link the management bonuses that each department receives to how they deal with this energy crisis? Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and my question is to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will we still have a piecemeal process going on? I compliment the Minister on allowing a transfer to go through just in September that gave the city access to three parcels of land. We further pushed back the rest of the lands for a decision to be made in January. Regardless of what is going to happen in January, is the Minister prepared to act on the remaining outstanding applications that the City of Yellowknife has for lands and stop holding the city hostage? They need to continue to develop lands for houses and businesses, et cetera. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I promised earlier, I do have my thought-provoking questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Mr. Speaker, status quo has truly become the norm. The one-year land lease-only policy is probably up to 16 years of life. The roadblocks for the City of Yellowknife are still being put in front of them because they need land to develop in a reasonable way. They try to work with the Yellowknives. Will the Minister provide an update on the status of discussions between himself and the Yellowknives Dene on how the City’s land requests are coming...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two written questions. The first written question is to the chairman of the Financial Management Board.

Would the chairman consider creating a task force to look at how end-of-year expenditures by department can be better controlled to ensure public money is not being spent for unnecessary items or to avoid lapsing funds?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I formally have to compliment the Minister because there wasn’t any rhetoric in that. That was action I heard. Finally we are getting down to the nitty-gritty. I would like to add one more initiative we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, granted we can’t control the market rates of the fuel out there, but we can do something. Is this Minister going to lead with direction from his position as chair of the FMB and attach a performance appraisal to all deputy ministers under this initiative to show that their management in this situation is attached to their bonuses?...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise on the heels of my Member’s statement given earlier today. I asked the Finance Minister, Minister Roland, last year what this government is doing to monitor energy consumption, referring to both power, fuel and oil with respect to GNWT assets. He replied that the government, through budgeting exercises, looked at the consumption of our resources, whether it be heating oil, electrical, water and sewer targeted areas where the government thinks it could be saving. Does the Minister of FMB have any numbers indicating the savings that the government has achieved...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, am pleased to be back in this House today after a long break doing constituency work, et cetera. Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a warm welcome to Mr. Lafferty from Monfwi. I’ve known him a long time, since our Akaitcho Hall days, and I can say truly that he’ll be a great contribution to this House and to the Tlicho people. I can say that with a full heart.

Mr. Speaker, I’m going to bring up the fact that almost a year ago today I rose on a statement to express deep concern about world oil prices and the effects that can cause crises elsewhere...