Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I really like the last comment from the Minister, which is the more seniors we can keep active, the better. Well, Mr. Speaker, there’s no proof that this isn’t just as good. So I’d like to ask the Minister, is it his individual policy position that this is not a go for seniors or is he going to work to see if he can find a way to turn this into a reality? Because it’s time we give our seniors a treat and stop tricking them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You don’t get to hear this often as a Yellowknife MLA. Would the Minister of Public Works be willing to meet with me and some constituents who want this issue to be seriously considered by the Department of Public Works, because there are a lot more than five construction businesses that actually use this and certainly there are businesses in Fort Smith, Norman Wells, I believe Inuvik, as well as Yellowknife that use this? So it’s a territorial program I’d see in the long-term, but the question really is, Mr. Speaker, is the Minister willing to entertain a meeting with...

As I mentioned, the Yukon Territory is able to use this standard called COR throughout their Territory as well as their small communities quite extensively. Mr. Speaker, has the Minister had any engagement with the Yukon Territory to see if it is possible to use some of their phase-in model that they used over there where they had only significantly high contracts the first year and then they kept lowering them down until we could expand the program throughout the system in a fair and reasonable way, recognizing that they’re small contractors, small service providers, as well as large ones...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to speak about a program called Certificate of Recognition, also known as COR. As some of you may know, COR is a health and safety certificate program for the construction industry in Canada. In the Northwest Territories, this program is delivered by the Northern Construction Safety Association in partnership with the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission. The COR program is designed to equip participants with the resources and skills to develop and maintain accredited in-house safety management systems unique to their workplace. To be certified...

Could this be described as an initiative that the Department of Public Works does support and do they see it as something they’ll be implementing in a timely way and what would that mean? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about a program put on by the Northern Construction Association. It’s called Certificate of Recognition, also known as COR. Mr. Speaker, it’s a very successful program across Canada and it’s about safety management. It’s also implemented by all if not most provinces, which also includes the Yukon Territory, where they work on this accreditation on public service and construction projects. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, is his department today looking into this accreditation...

Mr. Speaker, the process of eviction obviously is a painful one for many people who are in rental accommodations. Of course, the Government of the Northwest Territories provides social housing, which is sort of the backstop of where they would go. When you’re evicted, you really have no one to call after that, other than, of course, your MLA or, hopefully, ministerial intervention. But the long and short of it is, the appeals mechanism needs to ensure that there’s a healthy process for people to engage before they end up on the street. Will this issue be further updated to make sure that there...

Some of the issues that were raised in that report, certainly committee’s response, was the question of arrears and how it’s done. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister have any opinion or comment on how the Housing Corporation has been addressing that issue, and where does the issue of arrears and clearing up arrears stand with the Housing Corporation? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, first off, would like to thank the Member for Mackenzie Delta recognizing my two constituents. His father, Mike Krutko, a very well-known Northerner, and certainly Mr. Ed Jeske is a very well-known hockey supporter in this community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further to my statement, Mr. Speaker, I highlighted the issue of the appeal mechanisms only come into force as of April 1st this year, and I’m just wondering what highlights the Minister can provide us to find out if it is working or if it isn’t working. Thank you.