Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I couldn't agree more with the Minister that accountability can be hypothetical some days, at least from this perspective of the House.

Mr. Speaker, ultimately the question now is recognizing section -- I believe it's 6 -- sorry, yeah, section 6(5)(b) about the strategy on doing this, why isn't there a consultation line in there with Members to inform them immediately when such a breach of major policy happens? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity to come back to the questions around the official breach of the fiscal responsibility policy, Mr. Speaker. And so I want to start my first question off surrounding about -- sorry, encapsulating the question about when it was realized. So someone will realize, unofficially, there was a breach of the fiscal responsibility and then they'll confirm it through some analysis. So when were both of those areas identified? So in other words, when did they unofficially recognize that they had gone over and breached section 6(5)(c), and when did they...

Mr. Speaker, my questions aren't intended to be a trial by ordeal. My questions are intended to be like: be honest, how much are you asking for? So you sent a letter requesting we don't know how much we need, we don't know how much we want, but we want more? Please, we must be able to narrow it down a little bit because Northerners are the ones who are going to be saddled with this debt. Hence, Mr. Speaker, what range of debt has the Finance Minister requested that Northerners will now carry without a MLA discussion? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And on my acknowledgements, I just want to correct the record. It's not hearts, we were playing bridge at the seniors -- I don't know why I thought that earlier.

Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Finance, and it's with respect to my Member's statement earlier today. And what's causing me concern is this entitlement to write the federal minister exclusively on their own decision including Cabinet's without it informing Members that they're asking for more money. So my question for the Minister of Finance is, is what is the reasonable threshold on taking on...

Mr. Speaker, when I entered this building for the first time in 2003, the debt wall of the territorial government was $300 million. Since then, it's raised 600 percent, Mr. Speaker. Every Assembly that's shown up time and time again has always shown up with their wants and needs, but then now is no different. But at the same time they've always talked about how they want to live within their means. I've yet to see that after successive governments. Yes, enthusiasm can be contagious, a contagious dream, but all I've seen is this so-called live within our means is a chronic failure. Then in May...

Agreed. Yes, I guess I'm it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister giving me a recap of the 19th Assembly but officially we're in the 20th Assembly, and we're almost a year into it, Mr. Speaker. So that said, I'm hearing conversations but really at the end of the day what would be helpful is the Minister commits to adding a component that Members are included earlier before decisions are made such as taking on generational debt, especially in a case like this when they're now reaching out with an unknown number that could potentially be any number and the Assembly, including the Members on this side of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the Minister getting towards the answer which was specifically when, but maybe I didn't use the words specifically and hence that was the opening she used.

Mr. Speaker, once the breach is noted, what does accountability look like or should we expect from a Minister who, as she says, they continuously monitor the situation? So in other words, her fingers must be constantly on the pulse of what the debt looks like. So what type of public accountability should the legislature expect that she's now going to Ottawa over this breach of policy? Thank you.

Thank you. That was a hint of Mr. Whitford style of managing the House, Mr. Speaker. Good for you. Mr. Speaker, what if Ottawa says no; what is plan B? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unilateral decision to ask for how much, that's the problem here. We have no idea what generational debt this Minister is now taking on and saddling this Assembly. So this is well beyond an operational decision, Mr. Speaker. How much debt has the Minister requested from the Minister of Finance of Canada? Thank you.