Robert Hawkins

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.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a letter sent to me from the Auditor General of Canada, dated the 26th of February 2007, and it’s regarding my issue of concerns for performance audits on northern corporations. Thank you.

I appreciate the answer from the Premier. As the former Auditor General has clearly stated, they do not have the mandate to perform these performance audits on territorial corporations unless, of course, the House passes a direct motion that issues that request. At the same time, the former Auditor General has put into writing that they would be more than willing to do those types of audits if granted the authority to do that. In essence, if the FAA is up for debate and review, this would be a good opportunity to invoke that offer. As well, all Members know that there is little or no cost to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked in my Member’s statement about the Financial Administration Act and I took a look at the opportunity before us that is potentially to be reviewed. Right now we’re in the coming days that will enter into the new government. I highlighted the importance of value for money audits, which are also referred to as performance audits. If the review of the FAA is actually being considered at this time, it would be probably wise for the government to consider a comprehensive opportunity like this to include performance audits on our corporations to ensure that they...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank the Minister and the department for bringing forward these amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act. I feel strongly that road safety is more than a convenience; it’s a right for all. Often at times we forget about the privileges and rights we take advantage of and start to turn privileges into rights and get confused by what they really mean. The fact is we do have a right to want to feel safe and be safe on those roads, and this amendment addresses one of the privileges that people are using at this time and I look forward to the change on the roads...