Robert Hawkins

All I can say is the Premier will expect that question tomorrow, so that’s his notice on this question.

Mr. Speaker, to ensure maximum conservation on the part of this government, given the new reality, I want to hear what this Minister has to say about mandatory reporting and monitoring of all government agencies, boards and departments. Do we do this? If not, why not? What do we do with this information that we get to ensure we conserve to our maximum ability? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. We’ve all heard the saying many hands make light work. We all know if these many hands turn off those light switches that I talked about or turned off those ignitions to stop making cars idle, we will save a lot of money. So those many hands will be contributing to those lower costs to run these facilities and cars. So my concern last year was what was their policy and action plan. We now find ourselves in peril where fuel prices are skyrocketing. So my question for the Minister is -- and all residents of the Northwest Territories want to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a pleasure that I recognize three constituents that I could see from my vantage point. The Right Reverend Bishop Sperry; one of my favourite feisty seniors, Ed Jeske; and Lydia Bardak who wears so many hats there is nowhere to start. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Madam Speaker, I was so inspired with the happy answers from the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, I was inspired to write a written question. These questions are in reference to the past two fiscal years and are limited to the Yellowknife region only.

My question is for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation:

What is the total number of people turned away from the program, either disqualified by the department or the financial institution used to apply for a mortgage?

Of the number declined from the EDAP, what number were results of lack of available...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will say thank you, Mr. Minister, for moving forward on that issue.

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Thank you, good Minister. Madam Speaker, would the Minister…I’m overwhelmed at this moment. He’s budged. Madam Speaker, the question I want to ask is would the Minister agree today to at his earliest convenience by next week, can he update this sort of Yellowknife information that I had requested in my written question of March 9th, which is asking the details on the Yellowknife recipients? So would he update the letter he had sent me under his signature that there was some typos in?...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions will be for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, the Honourable David Krutko. Madam Speaker, I am still concerned that there is zero transparency on this program and I’m not even sure I can quote any numbers because we don’t even know if they’re all correct. I’ve never been replied to with a new profile, a signed letter to say that they’re all correct. So, Madam Speaker, the point of transparency still stands. Will this Minister hear me when I say confidentiality is not an issue to be hiding behind, because if he goes...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, today is my last day in the House for this session, and it’s still EDAP day as far as I am concerned.

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Transparency, in my opinion, has been far beyond weak, it’s more like pathetic when it comes to finding out who is receiving grants and what scenarios and why. Madam Speaker, it took a week to produce a paper to say if you make more money you get less of a grant; if you make less money you get more of a grant. It took a week to produce this and this doesn’t say anything other than the obvious, Madam Speaker. It does not say if you have a...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I’m sorry for those that had to read the Hansard because I was sort of lost due to being overwhelmed on getting that last one. So, Madam Speaker, my only question now to the Minister, which should be quite easy for him, is when can I get these responses? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, asking for stats and information is not confidential when you don’t connect it to people’s names and when you have a pool of 14 people in a city as large as 20,000, it’s pretty tough to know who is who. On top of that, we don’t announce or publicize in any way the recipients of these grants. So we don’t say John Doe or Jane Doe received a grant. It’s very difficult to imagine how even to start to begin with how someone would connect a name with who potentially got this. So the bottom line is I think what’s being flaunted here is the word...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The committee encourages the Minister to continue lobbying the federal government for reasonable base funding for the NWT under the announced federal Day Care Program. It is abundantly clear to committee that the amount being offered as of today is woefully inadequate and will have no impact on the services and day care available to northerners.

Strong leadership is required to ensure that the NWT receives a sufficient amount to effect real change.

Over the past year, Members have become aware of several concerns with the Student Financial Assistance Program in...