Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of ITI and, believe it or not it’s actually not on hydraulic fracturing because, well, I think the answers themselves are self-explanatory, but it actually is more on another area of his portfolio, which is about parks and camping and whatnot.

I’ve been contacted by people who have actually visited the Fred Henne Park and they’ve complained about the fact that a lack of enforcement is present in the park. So when we’re trying to encourage tourism, when we’re trying to encourage people to spend good quality time with their families, but...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about poverty and its impact on seniors. To better set the stage, in Yellowknife we have at least 55 seniors on the waiting list to get into Avens. As a matter of fact, there’s not a week goes by that I don’t have a call from someone who says they can’t even get on the list, they fear, maybe even their lifetime.

So, knowing that the last investments at Avens was 2007 where they were able to build eight units, and in 1992 where they were able to build 24 units, I’d like to ask the Minister of Housing when was the last investment...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of poverty is very complicated, as we all know. Like a jigsaw puzzle being put on the table, you must first look at the problem by seeing the big picture, then you tackle piece by piece.

I view the challenge of poverty much in the same way. First you start by looking at the corners and the sides, or some even tackle the middle. Yes, poverty is something we can tackle. If we look at the big picture, we see problems and we must pick away at them piece by piece, whether it’s putting our energies into housing, jobs, affordability, or even other types of necessities...

I appreciate you allowing me to sort of describe it at the beginning with great detail, because I think it’s important.

Would ATCO have had to sign their franchise agreement recognizing in some form or fashion this arbitration process?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A 400 percent increase in seniors in the Northwest Territories in the Yellowknife-specific region only is a serious initiative.

When is the last time this Minister of Housing has put in a request for a capital investment to have a serious impact in the housing situation directly intended to invest in seniors to ensure that they have quality housing to keep them out of poverty? When was the last time we’ve had an investment, and furthermore, what’s stopping him from putting that request in to invest in seniors, invest in population growth that would make a huge difference...

I’d like to ask the Minister of Housing why they’re not investing into more housing for seniors in Yellowknife. In my Member’s statement I pointed out that in the age category between 65 and 74 we’re going to see almost a 400 percent increase in growth, and further, at the age category of 75-plus we’re seeing over 400 percent growth in the next 11 years in seniors. So, clearly, seniors need housing. They need housing options, and these housing options will keep them out of poverty. Avens is an able and certainly a willing partner.

Would the Minister be willing to find some money to help invest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are so many people out there to recognize, I just want to say welcome to the majority of them, and I’ll focus my specific recognition to our seniors. For seniors from the Yellowknife Centre riding, I would first like to recognize Ms. Margaret Marshall, Mr. Bill Reid and Mr. Bill Adkins as well as I believe I see Ms. Wendy Carlos up there as well. If I happened to miss any of the seniors who are up there, I’m sure they can understand. I can’t quite see that far anymore. My eyes are starting to give up on me as the days go on. Welcome to everyone and thank you very...

I’m going to ask the Minister this question. I’m not sure it’s the best question, per se, in the sense of it’s under his portfolio or his purview, but he’s certainly a wordsmith.

Is arbitration the same as expropriation in his position or his capacity? Could he best describe it for the House?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You’ve certainly made me a happy man today. Let’s see if we can get some happy answers. We’ve been hearing a fair bit, and I wasn’t going to ask a question on this area, but I have to admit that I did hear a colleague on my right, Mr. Dolynny, ask questions about the Power Corporation and the bigger scheme of things. Although we don’t share perspectives, we share the perspective of the public information and what’s good for the public.

That said, there has been a campaign, in my words, of entitlement in the newspaper from a billion dollar industry that has been, in my...

The Canada Winter Games, of course, is a number of years away. So, we can all hope, of course, and we’ll see if accountability actually shows up in a sense of someday that actually materializes. More specifically, the Minister says they’re looking for innovative ways.

What about being innovative by doing what the Housing Corporation’s portfolio is really about, about establishing housing in need areas? Seniors need housing. It keeps them out of poverty situations. They’re not all in that situation, but many are. CMHC facts will tell you that. So, if the Minister wants to be innovative, why...