Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Madam Chair. What were the timelines of acquisition of this particular space that was in the RFP? In the RFP, I suspect there would have been some type of timeline stated. If not, could I get some understanding? I assume no government would go out and RFP a space expecting to get it that afternoon after closing of the tender. What were the timelines? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just so I have my timelines correct, the approval from FMBS for the special warrant was signed, I guess in the official sense, for the $115,000 officially on August 22nd, which is a Sunday. Can I get clarification on that? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I’m going to seek clarification on a couple of things. I guess the first one is a concern that the territorial government went and pointed their finger and demanded that particular space. If I could have clarification from the Minister representing the government on this issue. Did this government, vis-à-vis whatever way they go about doing business, up and point at the space and say that they wanted this particular space? If you could supply some clarification on that issue, therefore, we can put that one to rest. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to talk about year-to-year and multiyear funding. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to talk about the fact that in June of 2002, a social agenda was tabled in this House, it’s Social Agenda: A Draft for People of the NWT. Some of the recommendations out of that talked about year-to-year funding and it was one of the primary key recommendations, as the way I see it.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a small quote from an open letter from then-Premier Kakfwi at the time. He mentioned in his letter: “The working group has worked hard over the last eight months...

Thank you. My colleague, Mr. Kevin Menicoche, MLA for Nahendeh. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I can’t speak with 100 percent certainty, but I don’t recall the words in the May/June session noting somewhere in the middle that thank you for approving this money and, by the way, we’re going to be asking for more money very quickly to make this happen. Maybe that was just foolishness on our part that we did not foresee that there would be additional costs or whatnot, but again, as I’ve said before, I could be mistaken on this particular part, but I don’t recall the Minister or anyone saying that a further submission specifically related to Legal Aid would come...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess again thinking through, the Minister said June and I guess it is kind of perplexing. Whereas we approved money for bodies in order to put new legal aid personnel out there, then at that time, why did we not approve a particular chunk of money for the office? It seems like we did one element while not foreseeing that the other element would be required; seeing that chances are we’d have to go out and do this process. So I think -- and the Minister I have no doubt will correct me -- the Minister did mention that the original submission went out in June, he had...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess my question would still stand because I don’t think it was answered. My question was when was the government anticipating to get acquisition of this property in order to operate out of and as I said earlier when the tender closed on the 27th, I suspect we didn’t anticipate to take it that afternoon. So when did the government anticipate or work towards with an RFP to close or actually take lease control of the space? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. You know I would consider myself relatively new to this process, and find it quite unusual that we would have a special warrant issued for the closing of the RFP and whatnot. Is this a normal practice, considering even on the 27th we don’t know who is responding to this particular tender and whatnot? If I understand, the closing date is August 27th, and the FMB approval, I should say the final approval by the Commissioner -- let me say it that way -- was on the 22nd, six days before the closing. It may be possibly even the official evaluation. Is this considered a...

Thank you, Madam Chair. For my benefit, could the Minister go through significant timelines again, I stress again, the day of the issue of the RFP, the day the RFP closed, the day the RFPs were evaluated and then they decided to enter into the next step? Can I get those timeline dates, please, Madam Chair?