Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 8, oral questions, on the agenda so I can have a question today.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Abernethy.

Ensuring that Section 96 (as well as Sections 89, 97 and 100, as originally proposed) of the Financial Administration Act applies to the Heritage Fund, providing for properly detailed annual reports, tabled in the House;

Extending the “no withdrawal” period from 10 years to 20 years;

Providing for a committee review of the Northwest Territories Heritage Fund Act every 10 years, and determining that the first review should include:

An examination of the operation of the act;

Recommendations respecting how to obtain public input on the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement I spoke about a process problem that a constituent went through, and their experience of having an EPO issued against them. Fortunately for me and in this circumstance, this matter is not before any type of judicial consideration, and that gives me the ability here to talk about the process and the whole problem.

It’s my view, and certainly the view of many, that apparently there was some unfair due process not fulfilled on this particular case. Training and the ability of third parties being able to advocate and certainly put forward EPOs...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue I’d like to discuss today is how a constituent’s experience could have been handled much better. A few short weeks ago an emergency protection order was issued by the justice of the peace, but what makes this different and unusual is this was under false testimony, with the support and the assistance of a third party. At the time the EPO was issued, it moved swiftly through the justice system without a chance for my constituent to be heard, because if he had been heard, the accusations made against him may have warranted a balancing of other considerations to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize Mr. Hockey of Yellowknife, Mr. Ed Jeske; the highly esteemed Anthony W.J. Whitford, as we all know him; and certainly the lovely Ms. Vivian Squires, who is accompanying Mr. Jeske on his visits here at the Legislative Assembly. I, too, at this time would also like to recognize Ms. Lydia Bardak. I believe I saw her there. She’s a city counsellor as well as wearing many hats in helping the community. Ms. Lona Hegeman, and I would be remiss to not mention this person, although Minister McLeod already acknowledged her, but I’d like to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. But let’s hope it would be affordable.

Mr. Speaker, has there been any work done on that aspect to become a direct exporter of power to Alberta? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the cost of living is a very important issue for me as well as many Members, and I believe that any strides we can make towards the cost of living of Northerners does great things for the, I hate to say it, but the kitchen table economics for the everyday person, and power is a critical component of the cost of living here.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to hear from the Premier as to what focus his direction has provided towards grid expansion or coordination of the territorial power being produced here in the North thus far. Perhaps with the work done on the Taltson to date could lend...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to as well recognize Victoria Velez. She’s the intern here with communications. She’s a constituent of Yellowknife Centre.

I, too, would like to recognize the Jacobson family. The longer I work with Jackie Jacobson, the more I feel for them. Very good to see them all here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Have any customers been identified for that type of potential partnership and does the Premier see an opening to work with the federal government to work with Alberta to create ourselves as the customer of choice, or I should say provider of choice to the province of Alberta, considering their need for clean energy that the Northwest Territories has a lot of? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the Premier for that particular answer. Mr. Speaker, the potential of southern customers such as Alberta I think is a great area that this Power Corporation should explore, because I think that Alberta has a significant demand of power and we certainly have a pent-up demand of clean energy that we could be selling them that could help sustain our pocketbooks or territorial purse for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, if it was done wisely, we would have our own Churchill Fall example where Newfoundland provides cheap power…