Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement, I talked about my concern about how we are delivering power to our people in the North. I think that we need a clear strategy of where we are going to make sure we are delivering the best product to everyone. On top of that, I think we need to look forward and catch on to opportunities before us throughout Canada so we can harness our great potential here in the North. My questions, Mr. Speaker, are to the Minister of the NWT Power Corporation. So, Mr. Speaker, does the government have plans to develop a power generation and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the issues I have with this motion which has been included, is my concern that we do not have a policy that states that no appointments, especially serious appointments, where there is no emergency pending or falling before us, that we should not be appointing a position just before an election. Mr. Speaker, I wouldn’t want anybody to compromise anybody’s appointment by saying it’s a political appointment to gain favour just before or after an election. So, Mr. Speaker, my concerns and points have been raised in this motion. I will be voting in favour with my...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, as many of us know here, the PUB keeps shooting down the one-rate zone because you can’t operate in isolation. In other words, as the Minister has pointed out, you can’t have one style of power generation here and another there and another there and they come at three different costs. In fact, you can’t harmonize the costs because of the different delivery systems that we have. So, Mr. Speaker, how to deal with this is right before us. We can start harmonizing our power generation by working together. As the Minister said, we can start putting...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that subclause 128(2) of Bill 6 be amended by striking out “one year” and substituting “three years”.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill 6 be amended by deleting Clause 118 and substituting the following:

118 (1) The Appeals Tribunal is composed of at least four members appointed by the Minister in accordance with this section.

(2) When selecting persons for appointment to the Appeals Tribunal, the Minister shall ensure that

(a) each member of the Appeals Tribunal has experience and an interest in workers’ compensation issues, and

(i) has been a member, of at least five years good standing, of a law society of a territory or province;

(ii) has at least five years experience as a member of...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the problems about following a whack of people means most of the stuff has already been said. So I won’t be as long as they are. I’ll try to be succinct, though, in my own way.

As we all know Act Now, someday we thought this is going to turn to "Act Soon," and then I think people were even begging, up until a couple of years ago, "Act Some Day," and certainly some day is finally here before us. It’s taken a lot of years, as we all know. I don’t think we need to go into length on how long, but the fact is that what we have before us today is a new step in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister with his very thorough answer on the lenses and climate change problem, but it’s interesting because on one side of Behchoko, the side that Yellowknife is on, the highway goes up and down like a roller coaster and the other side between Behchoko and Fort Providence is relatively smooth; it’s a great quality highway. So, Mr. Speaker, maybe the Minister of Transportation can enlighten this House on why our side of Highway No. 3 is in such poor condition in reference to why the other side is in so much better condition. Can he help me with that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I highlighted in my Member's statement today, there are a lot of concerns, as I see it and RVers see it coming to Yellowknife, with that Highway No. 3. Mr. Speaker, some sections are very good; I’ll say that for a fact. But some sections are very less good let me tell you, Mr. Speaker…

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, that highway cost us approximately $200 million and I’d say that’s probably $200 million well spent on a dust control program but not a highway, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to know, has the Minister of Transportation done any work in finding out...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that clause 120 of Bill 6 be amended by renumbering subsections (1.1) to (3) as subsections (2) to (4) respectively.

Mr. Chair, protection of the worker and falling in the direction of the worker when it’s sort of a judgment call needs to always be a philosophy and this act works to achieve that direction. I won’t go into length about some of the adjustments, but some of the changes that we’re now making new strides are we’re now putting money into expert medical advice, legal advice. WCB has become sort of an innovator, I’d like to say, because as presumption of occurrence and diseases have changed, I mean dealing with conflicting medical opinions is a new stride on how we are moving forward.

So, Mr. Chair...