Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to follow up on a question I had asked the Minister of housing some time ago. I had written her an email about naming one of the downtown buildings the Whitford Building. I again brought it up in October asking about that. I talked about the policy, non-policy constraints, other than the fact that she wanted to say there's a process. Frankly, the Minister is in charge of this process, can present to Cabinet with not just one building that's established, but we also have three more -- or sorry, two more buildings coming on stream in the near future...

Mr. Speaker, I'm asking the Premier what type of proactive aggressive campaign are we selling? When the territorial government went so far as building the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway, it wasn't just cap in hand saying we'll wait until they do this. Mr. Speaker, I'm asking the Premier is he willing to look at either striking a formal committee to get Members, including Cabinet, to work on an aggressive campaign to sell these types of initiatives. Because if we sit here and do nothing, that's exactly what we'll get, being polite, but we'll be overlooked. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, will be asking questions for the Premier. I'd like to reflect back my questions towards my Member's statement regarding NATO's 2 percent spending requirement. And for the record, I believe, if I'm correct, Canada currently commits 1.37 percent of our GDP towards it so we're -- that's billions of dollars falling short of that commitment. So my question for the Premier, Mr. Speaker, is simply what is the government doing on the projects and initiatives I had pointed out in my speech with respect to the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the Bathurst port, including the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess fundamentally the MLA from Range Lake has spoken quite well with respect to the issue. I mean, often we worry about convenience in the sense of, well, we could just move it along without proper tos and fros of good, valuable, discussion. And I think, really, the public's being denied this opportunity by this simple change. As he mentioned, we could do it through other forces by forcing it through through an actual vote, or we can make it part of the normal business given the fact that even if we don't do it, it's still there.

The -- I honestly see that currently...

Mr. Speaker, what can the Minister commit to doing in this upcoming summer season? Now, we're months away but now is the time to contemplate any adjustments and changes, Mr. Speaker. And may I remind the Minister I'm saying treat it as, not defined as, in the sense of I'm not redefining the definition of what an e-scooter is. I'm saying treat it in the same manner based on the principles of safety and concerns. There are no lights on these things, speed regulations, no helmets, etcetera, etcetera, Mr. Speaker. What can the Minister commit that we will have ready so we can implement in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to return to -- I wouldn't want to say my favorite subject, but it's certainly a subject that's important to me -- e-scooters and the regulations thereof. Mr. Speaker, I e-mailed the Minister a couple months ago about an opportunity. It appeared it wasn't the right opportunity to slide it in some miscellaneous changes and as such, my worry is -- I thought we could do a quick fix by saying e-scooters or e-bikes are similar and will be treated similar as bicycles or motorcycles. There was an opportunity there.

Mr. Speaker, Quebec looks like they're banning them...

Mr. Speaker, I think it's fair to say -- at least I know I've been briefed to death on this particular initiative, I'm not speaking for the social development committee, I'll let them make their own decisions -- but that said, Mr. Speaker, would the Minister show some leadership by either, A, eliminating the hours required on qualified nurses, obviously, because they've gone to school, or immediately issue a directive to the nursing -- in writing, in other words, direction that they co-partner with either BC -- sorry, Alberta or Ontario that if nurses qualify there, by defacto they qualify...

All right, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity for a second round. Mr. Speaker, my questions will be directed to the Minister of health for clarify and surety that the House knows where the questions are going.

In previous sessions, I've raised the issue of licensing requirements of nurses who have received training outside of the country. The hours weren't the issue. The gatekeeper of the nursing association is controlling who can be qualified under their rules to practice here. Mr. Speaker, I referred a specific case to a situation where Ontario has approved a license, Alberta's...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm not going to go through everything I said under general comments, and my suggestion for consideration is I'd like to amend the motion by adding -- and I'll read out what I'm going to say is, we add Indigenous governments as well to determine; so in other words, after Northwest Territories Association of Communities, and Indigenous governments to determine blah, blah, blah. So I'm moving that amendment. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, Ekati's been in business approximately 25 years. They're proposing they could be here another 25 to 2040. They hire at least 350 Northerners, according to their letter, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's not attracting them. It's trying to find ways to keep them here in the North working and employing as well as the endless contributions to communities and community governments or organizations.

Mr. Speaker, does the Premier see the significance of this partner in their economic future? And if he doesn't, does he have another alternative? Because mining cannot easily be replaced...