Robert Hawkins

The only thing the Minister didn’t do there is thank me for giving him such a platform or soapbox to provide a Minister’s statement to in defence.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister used, as a distracting technique, to start talking about commercial rates. I keep talking about residential rates for the working family. As I said, and the Minister did pick up that 1,000 kilowatts is more expensive in Yellowknife than it is in Iqaluit. It is certainly way more expensive, twice as expensive in Yellowknife versus Whitehorse.

What immediate relief can the Minister of the NWT Power Corp do? We engineer the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said yesterday, Yellowknife is number one; the Northwest Territories is number one. What was that again? We’re number one. Power rates continue to be the highest.

If you take 1,000 kilowatts here in Yellowknife, you have to pay over $300; 1,000 kilowatts in Iqaluit, $275. We continue to be number one and we get dwarfed by Whitehorse where a thousand kilowatts only charges you $146. We’re number one, thanks to the Premier in his old job when he re-engineered the power rates. He engineered the communities’ rates, which I am certainly happy that he did help them...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to use this last second to say thank you to the Minister. He did hear a lot of the issues committee had raised, although, as you heard from other Members, we had not been able to get them all as far as we wanted to, but he was willing to work with us and, as such, you can see today the support of Cabinet on all of those motions. Could we have had more? I’m not sure. We may have wanted more sometimes, but it’s all about trying to get the best bill and work together and get a solution for everyone. Certainly I’m pleased to support this bill at large.

Once...

Thank you. Written words speak louder than oral words. So what is the Minister willing to table before this House or even put in a letter to Members to show that MACA is committed to this, rather than just standing here and saying we’re behind it? Well, let’s prove it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week on Thursday I was trying to raise the issue of 911. The fact is, the concern in Yellowknife, as well as across the Northwest Territories, is this file still has gone nowhere.

So I ask the Minister of MACA, who is in charge of the 911 issue, I guess one could look at it that way or I don’t know what he’s doing with it. So that’s where my first question lies.

What is the Minister of MACA doing to move forward the file of 911 to ensure we have safety for all Northerners as requested by NWTAC, the City of Yellowknife and Northerners at large? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, when I was visiting constituents this summer, as I do each summer, I heard a number of complaints about this government, which should really be no surprise to anyone in this building. In fact, there were so many complaints about this government I don’t know if I can fit them all in, even in replies to the opening address.

However, particular attention was paid to this government’s lack of attention to families and their bottom line. People told me devolution is important over the long haul, but they can’t make the short haul, so the long-haul details really don’t matter.

In...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I could hear you that time. I apologize to the House in full. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, I don’t disagree with the description or the common sense brought forward on this issue by the Finance Minister, which talks about the administration and the trust, the headaches of carrying on a society that probably isn’t necessary. I’m not arguing that. The issue I’m trying to lay before the House, quite simply, is did they provide a letter or any type of guidance to the House on is a $100,000 party okay. As far as I’m concerned, that’s 25 percent of this money. If you add the $25,000 on top of that, we’re talking one-third of this surplus money is not left for the building...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I was going to say, in a roundabout way, was I find it difficult to take back passion and energy, but with that said, what I will do is I will respect the ruling and I will apologize for any concerns that I may have inflicted on Cabinet. What I will say, in short and in final, Mr. Speaker, it will not temper my passion to get the job done. Thank you.

I will just say that I do not agree with that interpretation and that I hear the Minister that the legal opinion may say that, but it’s my interpretation that when the money is to benefit the building, it is intended to benefit the building, not to be a celebration, party, travel fees, whatever. So I would like to register my concern and certainly grievance on this issue. Members in this building will know this is not new, this is consistent from my earlier opinion on this and I think the additional $125,000 should not be wrapped up in plane tickets or parties or whatnot, and what the whatnot...