Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today in my Member’s statement I spoke about the need for the telephone to be an allowable expense under the act. I spoke about the fact that many government services, such as the Department of Health and Social Services’ new Tele-Care line, are not accessible to people without a phone. It’s hard for people to get a job if a potential employer can’t get hold of them in a timely fashion. My question for the Minister is whether his department is considering, under the income support program, including basic telephone as an allowable expense. Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise because I’m going to tell the Assembly that I’ll be voting against the motion. I told the assembly earlier that I would be speaking against it, although I would not stop unanimous consent to proceed with this motion strictly on my own personal belief.

The assembly was scheduled to continue to Thursday. It is my opinion, even though we did not have bills to pass, business was done in an orderly fashion, which I would commend, but I believe we are missing out on valuable question time. Mr. Speaker, just to quickly sum up, we’re missing out on question...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Minister could comment specifically what is holding up the telephone being considered an allowable expense? Basic telephone service is no longer a luxury of the modern day. I would quantify it as just as important as rent and food. So can the Minister explain that, please? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his answer. Could the Minister reply with some further clarity as to whether he would be willing to consider a telephone expense as an allowable expense under the income support program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to draw your attention to income support programs and the list of allowable expenses under the act. Mr. Speaker, a telephone is not a necessity under the act. If you ask the department why this is, they will tell you they allocate a certain amount of money to each person on social assistance and leave it up to them as to decide how they wish to spend the money.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell you the way I see it. Let us imagine a mother with two young children. How much money would this mother receive each month to house, feed, and...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have two written questions. I have a long one and a short one. I’ll start with the short one. Mr. Speaker, my first question goes to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Charles Dent.

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister, the Honourable Charles Dent, agree to take a personal challenge with me by living without a phone service and personal transportation for one single day to recognize for even a brief increment as to how exhausting the struggle must be living on income support?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, as well, had to do a lot of soul searching over this issue, and I thought it would be important for me to speak at least for the record, in all fairness. Therefore, when I vote either way, at least Mr. Zoe would have heard my thoughts.

This has truly been a struggle, as I can’t imagine it hasn’t been for most Members here. Some are pretty cut and dry, and others it really takes quite a challenge to deal with.

I will first clearly say to you, Mr. Speaker, that I like Mr. Zoe personally. I think Mr. Zoe is a pretty darn nice man, I think he has worked hard at the...

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I’m seeking unanimous consent to speak a second time to the motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May I seek unanimous consent to finish my comments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to table, for the record, the Members’ Conduct Guidelines for the assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.