Robert Hawkins

The Premier raised the issue of power purchase agreements. Those are all well and good. But to date I have yet to see these power purchase agreements. As I said in my Member’s statement, if they are such a great deal for the diamond mines company, they would drag us to the table kicking and screaming and make us sign them with them. The point being, Avalon wants to sign a deal, Fortune mines is interested, the City of Yellowknife has a life of in perpetuity that we could be hooking up. Don’t forget about Dettah, Ndilo, Behchoko, Whati, and many other customers that we could create a grid with...

The Premier did not talk about how the public interest has a position in this. The public interest was not discussed in his answer about how the public interest gets represented. If we represent a one-third interest in a corporation outside of the territorial government, that’s way beyond arm’s length, then the public interest is lacking. What is stopping the Premier from evaluating fairly and strategically with all the proper information about the route that we’ve discussed in this House, which is either over the Simpson Islands or under the water? What is stopping this department of NWT...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First off, I do support the principle of the bridge project. I certainly believe strongly that this is the type of infrastructure that needs to be built in the Northwest Territories. I also believe strongly when I had asked last month about why haven’t we sought federal government support, why hasn’t the federal government come to the table to assist us with this project. I think that seems to be a significant gap in this process that has been happening.

Today I tabled an article from a magazine called Bridge Design and Engineering. It is a magazine from the UK. It...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not suggesting that we create a medical travel policy because someone is flying down and they are getting a needle in their shoulder and we have to send the whole family to Edmonton to make sure that they feel comfortable. Mr. Speaker, I am talking about a situation whether it be this particular case or similar cases whereas these are truly life and death days. Every day is an important day. Every day is certainly a blessing. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to urgent situations as I am trying to describe in this situation, what is stopping the Minister from...

Mr. Speaker, it was probably very stingingly obvious in my Member’s statement, I believe, that a family should have access to their children throughout such a difficult time. I am asking the Minister what would stop her from developing a medical travel transplant policy that could reflect family values to ensure that there is family support ongoing through this type of process by allowing the extended family such as the other parent and possibly even the children from travelling down from time to time to provide much needed support through this medical process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have two people in the gallery I’d like to recognize. First, I have Mr. Chris Bassi. He’ s the father of our very well-known assistant deputy minister, Sheila Bassi-Kellett. Mr. Bassi is a retired bridge engineer, of some note, and he finds the discussion today very interesting. The second person I’d like to introduce today is Mr. Neils Konge. He’s the father of young Jonas, the person I was talking about in my Member’s statement, and his son is waiting in Edmonton for a heart transplant. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to use my Member’s statement to talk about the Medical Travel Policy in relation to people requiring transplants. As I’ve raised on a number of occasions, there needs to be a clearly defined policy with a specific aim to assistance for people who go through the medical transplant process. We need a policy that takes into consideration the real and much needed support of family members who should be there through this difficult time.

I want to now paint a picture of how disappointing the present Medical Travel Policy is and, in my view, how it is very...

I’m doubtful but always hopeful, of course, that the Transportation Minister probably can answer this question. It’s regarding Minister Flaherty’s position and, as I have stressed to the Premier who is acting in the capacity of Finance Minister today, my concern on the weight of the position that Finance Minister Flaherty has assured us that this will be coming for special dispensation to be able to carry this type of number on our books. The issue for me is, I guess, satisfying the concern that this will actually be fulfilled. I’m trying to say it in such a way as when does the Premier expect...

As we’ve all seen that the situation has changed significantly and under one of the sections under the Deh Cho Bridge Act, 6-1(2), the toll is collected for the Deh Cho Bridge Fund and it’s a special purpose fund. I’m just curious as to who controls that special purpose fund, the Deh Cho Bridge Fund, in this particular example. Has that been envisioned or has a solution been found for that particular case at this time, because that’s, if I read the act correctly, where all money in the context of tolls are to be directed. So I’m just trying to find out who controls that fund, especially in...

I appreciate that on the record. With the change in the DCBC, so the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, is it envisioned that the concession agreement value will change as this finds its way to the point where we have the bridge built and we find that particular role for the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, assuming it still wants to exist and participate? Thank you.