Robert Hawkins

Is the Minister able to speak to actual results of these types of programs where they have worked and cite any examples, because as I understand it, Nunavut shut down their mobile treatment program because they didn’t think it worked or solved the problems they were striving for.

I would ask the Minister what success he can point to these two particular programs where they demonstrate they’re worth investing in and, again, solving alcohol and drug treatment problems.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I could sit here and point to the loopholes provided by the Minister’s answer about our customers, and certainly our everyday families that are working to get by, but the question is: What proactive powers can be put into place for consumer protection to ensure that they are being protected over the pariah of poaching, whether it’s high fees, lack of transparency or certainly being held hostage by being the only retailer? We want to put Northerners first. What powers can be put into the Consumer Affairs Act to protect our citizens, not leave them at risk? I would like...

Thank you. I guess it’s my job to answer my questions and not be posed them by the government, I guess.

My next question, if the Finance Minister wishes to answer rather than pose a question back to me is, of course, what powers of investigation does the consumer affairs division have in their own ability under the Consumer Affairs Act to go out, scrutinize some of these particular issues as I’ve highlighted, which are gasoline pricing, payday loans and cellphone contracts, in the public’s interest? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I continue to be concerned for the everyday working family. In most cases that family is trying to struggle to get by each and every single day, but the problems, as I see it, continue to point towards this government’s inaction when it comes to using the leverage before it. If anything, they’re not taking the responsibility they should. So this government continues to watch the everyday family struggle through their normal course of trying to get by rather than reaching for those levers to do something. That could be more described as inaction than action.

Here are some...

Mr. Speaker, I don’t care if it’s a team effort to answer the question. The point is the questions need to be answered, and the question is this: How many vacancies do we have out there that are not being filled? We’ve all heard this great number of 1,150 positions been vacant for various reasons, 571 actively pursuing. We have a website now that says, by the way, hiring practices are now suspended.

How many positions are out there vacant, not being pursued, and are we putting Northerners at risk whether in a big community or small community? We’ve got people fighting for people in their...

On the website it says recruitment and retention programs are being suspended effective immediately.

What is the Minister of Human Resources doing to ensure that this is not happening across the departments, across this government? Are we putting Northerners at risk? What is the Minister of Human Resources doing about this?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister can continue to gild the lily on this problem but it’s not changing the fact that the everyday ratepayer can’t afford their power bills. People are leaving and there’s no way we’re going to attract people here to the Northwest Territories.

The last thing I’m going to say is there’s the old saying, death by a thousand cuts, and I think the everyday ratepayers had 999 of them and they cannot take one more. The question to the Minister is: He talked about the Stabilization Fund, is it not time to continue to focus in on other solutions that deliver immediate respite to...

The Minister talks about all great and wonderful things in the fullness of time. Global warming is coming sooner than some of the results of these initiatives, and quite frankly, I think we should wait for global warming over those initiatives because they will solve our problem at the speed they’re flowing through.

Has the NWT Power Corp ever done any type of analysis on the burden of the everyday ratepayer in comparison to other cities? So, in other words, have they taken any analysis of what the city of Yellowknife ratepayer would pay on their power bills versus their income versus other...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to use today’s occasion to talk about an important issue. I want to give thanks to all those people out there that ensure the Northwest Territories and, more particularly, the city of Yellowknife is at number one.

We’re number one and normally that’s something to be truly proud of, but not in this particular case. Why, many ask? Well, this city of Yellowknife’s power rates continue to outshine all other cities across Canada. Believe it or not, our power bill rates are higher than Iqaluit’s or even Whitehorse. So we’re number one. Is that something to be proud of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier. Please provide a current list of all direct appointments from the beginning of the 17th Assembly to today’s date, including the following information:

Cabinet approval date;

position;

department;

community; and

name of individual appointed.

Thank you.