Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We found out with great shock there last year that the northern bonus program was cut in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. It was embedded into the deepest of the budget details and I, like many members, didn't realize it had been done until after the fact. My question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is simply this: What type of analysis had justified that choice to eliminate that program that is very near and dear to many of our returning students here to the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, maybe to help the Minister, the old Minister used to say in the fullness of time, which if you were paying attention, that could mean any time. So needless to say, please don't use that further proof of what's happening.

Mr. Speaker, establishment of new legislation for a polytech university is the cornerstone of where it's going, defines it, and everything then comes out of it. In other words, its budgets, its plans, its mandate, etcetera, etcetera. It needs legislation to be real.

Mr. Speaker, when -- sorry, on the website, it says it will be released for completion obviously --...

Well, it's funny because I get -- what's the right phrase -- I don't want to say targeted, but I get target -- I'll say it anyway. I get targeted for not giving my questions to the Minister or advancing this up, but yet she scooped my last question. So good on her for being on her toes, Mr. Speaker, instead of heels.

Mr. Speaker, that said, I just want to reaffirm, with the contract coming up, will she ensure that Members are involved in some type of early discussion and will she commit to this contract we are going to do health care card business differently and more improved? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's probably rare I get to make a statement like this. I'm sure we will all agree in this House that health care dollars are precious. It's very difficult to find agreement on anything some days, but I think we might be able to agree on that.

Mr. Speaker, the questions I'll be raising today are to the health care Minister, clearly, regarding the security of health care cards. And that's always been something of interest of mine because if I recall during one of my previous assemblies, we had more health care cards out there than citizens. What an interesting paradox it...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we heard in the House, I believe yesterday, that the Minister said that if the sup passes and the budget passes, we will be $3.2 million away from our debt wall if I heard her correctly and, of course, that is if I have my math correct. Mr. Speaker, that actually puts us at 99.8 percent of our overall debt limit. I'm asking the Minister of Finance: what is she doing to find new ways to operate budget -- sorry, operate the fiscal management of the Assembly and the territory at large that we can find ways to save money immediately such as let people work from...

Thank you. I'm sure we're going to find a middle here. And, again, I credit the competencies of the department so I have every belief that they'll provide responsible, useable information, and I want them to know I -- the next question is that -- what does the person do to action their claim?

So back to I know a few circumstances -- I don't need to go through every scenario but, you know, people are owed a lot of money for a lot of months. They call, nothing happens, and all of a sudden, you know -- yeah, like, why do we need political intervention for what should be an internal problem? And...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister capturing the whole ECE budget, and I'm not sure there was a page left unspoken about. My question was nowhere near about any of -- most of that. I wouldn't say all of it, but I will say most of it. My question is really about the income support program specifically targeting to help individuals get through the system. They are data entry folks, not social workers. I've used the generic phrase navigator. Perhaps that's my fault, and I acknowledge that. Essentially I'm trying to say is what type of support does the income assistance offices, the...

Thank you. Can the Minister provide sort of like a bar graph on the size of claims; so in other words, a bar saying we have 300 employees who have claimed under a hundred dollars; we have had, say, 40 percent claimed by, you know, from $100 to $500, and 10 percent -- you know, however the math works in a bar graph. And the reason I say that is because to make sure it's not perceived as a useless exercise, which I'm not in favour of sending the department on wild goose chases just for my entertainment.

What I'm hearing from constituents and GNWT employees is we have several thousand dollars...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think I believe the Minister sent me a draft version or some type of copy of the agreement. She nodded, and I remember going through it. I asked, or I'm curious, on cancellation provisions knowing -- my question's going towards cancellation provisions. So in other words, is there a way that the Minister can cancel this initiative so we can actually go out and find a partner who can actually bring real opportunity to support housing for much needed people and families. Thank you.

Thank you. So that's the answer I was looking for, is 30 days.

Are you able to tell me through some type of analysis -- first, my anecdote, obviously, unless you brought it -- I doubt it, but I'd be pleased if you did -- how often is that 30-day threshold of the standard is run over; in other words more than 30 days? Thank you.