Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and it was not my intention to go into the details of what was discussed during the business plan, however, we have been asked to support a plan that they have promised to deliver and the Department of RWED had promised to deliver this summer. The Department of Education has been responding and that’s why I am directing my question to the Premier rather than trying to nail down two Ministers by them pointing at each other. So, therefore, I reaffirm to the Premier – it’s almost like a double jeopardy here – I reaffirm to the Premier, when will this art strategy be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Minister could elaborate on possibly trying to accommodate, recognizing that there are single parents out there who still have to deliver children to school and pick up groceries. As I pointed out earlier, we still have people out there who do drive for a living. So maybe if the Minister could let me know on how he plans to look into this problem by trying to accommodate as I have mentioned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is to the Minister of Transportation, following up on my earlier Member’s statement with regard to people under hardship and duress due to the lengthy process about getting renewals for drivers’ licences. Would the Minister be willing to reconsider implementing the notices for renewal for peoples’ drivers’ licences? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have two written questions. I have a long one and a short one. I’ll start with the short one. Mr. Speaker, my first question goes to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Charles Dent.

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister, the Honourable Charles Dent, agree to take a personal challenge with me by living without a phone service and personal transportation for one single day to recognize for even a brief increment as to how exhausting the struggle must be living on income support?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister provide any comment in relation to timeline for issues to be discussed like making the telephone an allowable expense under income support, and will he be allowing public input on that type of expense? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today in my Member’s statement I spoke about the need for the telephone to be an allowable expense under the act. I spoke about the fact that many government services, such as the Department of Health and Social Services’ new Tele-Care line, are not accessible to people without a phone. It’s hard for people to get a job if a potential employer can’t get hold of them in a timely fashion. My question for the Minister is whether his department is considering, under the income support program, including basic telephone as an allowable expense. Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise because I’m going to tell the Assembly that I’ll be voting against the motion. I told the assembly earlier that I would be speaking against it, although I would not stop unanimous consent to proceed with this motion strictly on my own personal belief.

The assembly was scheduled to continue to Thursday. It is my opinion, even though we did not have bills to pass, business was done in an orderly fashion, which I would commend, but I believe we are missing out on valuable question time. Mr. Speaker, just to quickly sum up, we’re missing out on question...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Minister could comment specifically what is holding up the telephone being considered an allowable expense? Basic telephone service is no longer a luxury of the modern day. I would quantify it as just as important as rent and food. So can the Minister explain that, please? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his answer. Could the Minister reply with some further clarity as to whether he would be willing to consider a telephone expense as an allowable expense under the income support program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to draw your attention to income support programs and the list of allowable expenses under the act. Mr. Speaker, a telephone is not a necessity under the act. If you ask the department why this is, they will tell you they allocate a certain amount of money to each person on social assistance and leave it up to them as to decide how they wish to spend the money.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell you the way I see it. Let us imagine a mother with two young children. How much money would this mother receive each month to house, feed, and...