Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Human Resources, the Honourable Bob McLeod. Clearly, the Members on this side of the House are very interested in helping our students obtain meaningful employment during their short summer. This work helps them afford to go to school and be successful in their studies. Clearly, we would like to see some progress in the areas this summer. Clearly, you can hear from all the Members, the message is quite loud and crystal clear, that this government must do better, and we’re prepared to help support that type of initiative. We...

I’d like to thank the Minister. Is the Department of Finance planning to hire more summer students by the end of summer and are they looking to expand into the regions?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Human Resources, the Honourable Bob McLeod. Clearly, the Members on this side of the House are very interested in helping our students obtain meaningful employment during their short summer. This work helps them afford to go to school and be successful in their studies. Clearly, we would like to see some progress in the areas this summer. Clearly, you can hear from all the Members, the message is quite loud and crystal clear, that this government must do better, and we’re prepared to help support that type of initiative. We...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m sort of hearing a comment for consideration here from the Minister and I want to take advantage of that opportunity by saying would the Minister be willing to assess this particular proposal, because I think it would provide a lot less work to clients, provide a stable environment for them in the sense of payment schedules, as well as be less work for the LHOs to manage once a year to re-evaluate the whole line. No different than when you’re taxed. I mean, you’re not taxed one month by CRA, high one month and then not the next. I mean, it’s a formula base. Let’s...

I’d like to thank the Minister. Is the Department of Finance planning to hire more summer students by the end of summer and are they looking to expand into the regions?

No, no, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying it should be clearly stating that rent is coming in at whatever capacity, and separate it from the arrears. Because what it does is give you a blanket number, so we don’t know who’s paying the rent on time and we don’t know who’s paying the arrears on time. That’s ultimately the goal on this particular issue. I want to make sure, the 161 percent sounds good but we don’t really know what 161 percent means in the bigger context.

I want to give credit for the Minister’s previous answer, and what I’d like to ask him in this particular case, then, is...

Mr. Speaker, BHP Billiton has generously stepped forward, as I’ve said, on a couple of occasions, and again their generosity needs to be acknowledged, but yet again I say this: that private sector is stepping in what truly is a government responsibility. Mr. Speaker, if these people were anywhere else, government would step down in some type of form or capacity to support an NGO to help protect these particular women at risk, yet when an initiative is presented to help provide some coordinated and safe transition housing, the government is stepping away and saying it’s a community organization...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll have questions to the Minister responsible for homelessness today. In my Member’s statement earlier today I talked about the issue of the Betty House and how particularly it is important to addressing the need for women who need transition housing. It’s a significant step forward in addressing this particular problem and I recognize the important work provided by the YWCA as well as the City of Yellowknife, for moving this initiative forward.

BHP Billiton has generously offered and given a cheque for $700,000 to this association so that they can work forward to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize the Grade 5 class from Sissons that’s here today in the gallery and has been visiting the Assembly. The students who are visiting us here today are: Kienan Ashton, Aliya Aumond, Nicolas Bennett, Grace Clark, Sophie Clark, Daniel Enge, Noah Hache, Delilah Hashi, Sean Irwin, Jack Panayi, Jacob Schubert, Lauren Seabrook, Jesper Sorensen, Niva Stephenson, Sarah Taggart-Miles, Anne Thomas, Elizabeth Thomas, and their teacher, Monique Marinier.

Finally, I would also like to recognize Mr. Ed Jeske, a worthy recipient of today’s Education...

Mr. Speaker, it’s a real shame that I’m hearing this opinion from the Minister, and it’s very disheartening for those people who are trying to bring this project to life, again, supporting women who are at risk and who need an opportunity to stand on their own.

Mr. Speaker, this is more than just capital dollars; this also then leads into O and M dollars and programming dollars to make sure that this initiative does blossom and provide the types of focus and support that’s needed.

Mr. Speaker, the last question would be what type of community support, programming support and O and M support is...