Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recently the City of Yellowknife launched a public news release to inform the public that they have now taken on the Certificate of Recognition program that they have been awarded with that accreditation. Asking for the COR program to be implemented in the Government of the Northwest Territories through the leadership of Public Works and Services here, I’ve been asking them for some time about when they will be bringing this program forward and implementing it when it comes to our contracting of services.

My question to the Minister of Public Works and Services is, quite...

I have to admit I found the answer a little on the confusing side. What will actually be done this budget year that I can take back to the parents at Sissons and even the school board to say guess what is going to happen this year, is a real commitment on some resolve to do something. What deliverable can I take back to both the constituents, be it the school board, be it the school, be it the families? I am just trying to give them something that they understand, something that is simple and clear. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Under ECE my questions are more built around… I feel like I have raised this question many times. I would like to ask some details as to where I may find some future investment if not present investment into both the Mildred Hall Elementary School as well as the Ecole J.H. Sissons School. I know that they get on the capital plan, then they are taken off the capital plan and then they are back on and off. I have to tell you it feels like we’re doing the hokey-pokey dance with those particular schools. It’s very frustrating for the school board as well as the two schools...

Although I’m not Mr. Bromley – I don’t wear a green cape to work with the environmental symbol on it – I do care equally about some of these particular concerns, and I’m just curious as the opportunity when we do this do we ensure that we tackle this particular problem rather than booking it against a particular liability. But I think Mr. Guy said there isn’t a particular problem at this spot, if I understood him correctly, but maybe… I see him waving his pen not in a mean gesture way, so I suspect he would like to reply. The issue for me is I’m just curious on how we address that particular...

But, like anything, silence is assent and if I don’t express that concern under the capital process right now, then it could be seen as one perspective is the one to go with. So it’s important to get that out there now and I assure you and assert to the Assembly that we have disparities, whether they’re daycare spaces, some free within the GNWT institutions in some areas and some in other places in other communities where we have to charge full market rent and we have a lot of challenges on how to balance that particular one. I mean, I don’t want us bringing in another problem that’s… You...

Many businesspeople are taking the initiative to join the Certificate of Recognition program, the COR program, from across our territory from big communities to small communities. It’s becoming a territorial initiative. To add one more, it’s actually becoming a national trend where many jurisdictions, whether it’s the provinces or even the federal government, are leaning towards this is the type of recognition that you need to have in order to apply for service contracts, construction works, et cetera. Recognizing that there’s been a commitment from many small businesses here in the Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When growing up I remember such youthful optimism around me from everyone when we always talked about the future. I’m reminded of this when I see in the gallery today so many young people here. I remember hearing from people about where they wanted to go, what they wanted to see, and certainly we always heard about what they wanted to be. However, I can never recall anyone ever telling me, or anyone, for that matter, that they wanted to be homeless. That’s why today I want to recognize and certainly give great credit to the work being done by the Yellowknife...

I’ve made many calls to Health and Social Services and their suggestion, if you have a crack problem or a meth problem, is to go to either the Tree of Peace or Salvation Army or even be sent to Nats’ejee K’eh in Hay River. You have to fail there first, before you can seek treatment in a southern facility that is appropriate to your specific illness to be addressed. I’ve never found that we’ve encouraged people to fail the right way before we choose to address their particular issue. Is there going to be a new, updated methodology as to who we deal with people with serious alcohol and drug...

For us to support further investment in capital initiatives, we should have a context as to what the true costs are. That is why I keep coming back to it. We have to evaluate a longer term strategy with the focus on where our money is better spent.

Again, we have alternative measures that have always been called upon. Maybe they need more support, more bolstering. What money is being kept away from alternative options because maybe money isn’t being spent efficiently?

That goes back to the point of using a cost-benefit analysis. I didn’t ask to do an evaluation of other jurisdictions. I am not...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I take exception with the last comment provided by the Minister. We only have one treatment centre, but the problem where I take exception with that is it’s not focused on detox or multi-problems when it comes to alcohol or drugs such as crack and meth. My fear, and the fear of many people, is has this government given up on people with addictions. Will this government finally take a clear stance, draw up a plan and build or even lease a detox centre to treat the people of the Northwest Territories who suffer from addictions? Thank you.