Robert Hawkins

Perhaps, maybe if the Minister of Health could paint the pictures of the focus of the future of midwifery here in the Northwest Territories. Is it the goal of the Department of Health to help facilitate the growth? Is it just to place it in a few...provide this opportunity in a few communities here and there? What is the mandate and focus of this RFP and, certainly, will the general public be able to participate in the development of this so they can hear true testimony about how important this is as a service here in the North? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I wanted to highlight in some manner about how important midwifery services are here in the Northwest Territories. I also wanted to give credit to Leslie Paulette for making it the success it is. It comes with quite a national reputation of being a brilliant success all started by a small program in Fort Smith.

Mr. Speaker, the program in Yellowknife has been cut and it was a very important program to many families. My first question to the Minister of Health and Social Services is: when will the midwifery services be offered again in...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to now move a motion.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a few observations here. I really am concerned with the purpose not being sharp enough. I disagree with my colleague who thinks or believes strongly -- and I say that respectfully -- that dividends should be paid, but I think the purpose really needs to be narrowed down over the long haul. Although I don’t necessarily think it needs to be done today, but one of the issues being is that if the purpose is truly for the people of the Northwest Territories, then it needs to be directed as such. I think this money needs to be targeted directly to our revenues that we...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m not speaking for committee, but I certainly am sure in some ways when I say this is a very exciting opportunity for the people of the Northwest Territories to have this fund come forward.

Mr. Chairman, I had hoped over the years, over the course of the last four years that the government would develop what I call a revenue stabilization fund to help assist with corporate revenues when they go down due to downturns or re-filing of corporate taxes, and the problem with the Northwest Territories is we have a very challenging opportunity before us when we need to raise...

Mr. Speaker, I think it was amply clear. I think the answer was not amply clear. To put it in a different way, I’m well aware and I have no doubt that this Minister is well aware of many people who are summer students who keep coming back to the same jobs. They’re being given job offers in February and March even before the summer student season starts.

Mr. Speaker, the whole line of questioning is about trying to ensure that there’s fairness here, and if it smells funny, that tells me that something should be investigated. I’ll tell you when people are told that folks already have jobs in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I cited a number of concerns with the summer student hiring process. The process is more than just how many students we’ve hired; it’s about how we hire them and, of course, what type of promise and opportunity we provide them. I think it’s quite understood that we have an obligation to ensure that our future workforce is certainly prepared for the opportunities before them, and I think it’s an important role.

Mr. Speaker, HR at present doesn’t have the official coordination powers and authority to, in my view, fully manage the summer...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Edward Esau. He’s a Page here helping us do our business of the Assembly. He’s most notably known as the son of one of our staff members, Phoebe Esau. Thanks for your help here today. Thank you.

I move that subclause 10(2) of Bill 10 is amended by:

striking out “and” at the end of paragraph (c);

deleting paragraph (d); and

adding the following paragraph after (c):

recommendations respecting whether the act should be amended to include a provision requiring a special majority to make further amendments to the act or to authorize transfers from the Heritage Fund; and

recommendations respecting any other amendments that should be made to the act.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to say that I fully concur with the Minister’s answer and completely disagree with Mr. Bromley’s ascertain to what should be done in this particular case. Wasting money by administering something that doesn’t make any money at that time seems to be a bit of a pointless, fruitless argument at this time. I think the 10-year review and every 10-year review after that will address those types of questions as need be.