Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too wish to lend my voice to recognize the gentleman who is so well known to us, Mr. Anthony W. J. Whitford. He's many things to many of us, but very importantly to me he's been a friend for a very, very long time.

At the same time, I too wish to recognize Mr. Lafferty, or the grand chief for the Tlicho region. We go back to when we were kids. And he's a wonderful gentleman, and I'm glad to see him in the leadership in the Tlicho communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, let's use some easy numbers. The CERB payment was about $2,000 a month. That's about $500 a week. So the fire was about three weeks, and so if we use their $750 mark, that's 250 a week. So there's quite a bit of a disparity. There's a standard, a considerable one. But CERB was during COVID and people stayed home, so they didn't have to worry about driving out. That said, how can we justify and explain that $750 was an impact payment worthy of the expense that many people paid considering they pulled the government ordered people out of the Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to follow up a little further on the evacuation travel support program. And I suspect now, the Minister was saying I didn't expect the question but that said, to be all fair in all fairness, she is the Finance Minister of this government and the last government and oversaw the programs, so I expect her to know some elements of the program.

So that said, the evacuation support program paid out $750 to people as a onetime sort of payment. How did they actually come up with that specific $750 for the impacts of individuals obviously per vehicle...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And by the way, I apologize, earlier I just restated the question, so it might have sounded like two. Mr. Speaker, my question the Minister says they track them, so then why do we have the department saying that they've issued payments when they haven't if they're tracking them?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess there's no wonder why I had the record questions asked a couple Assemblies ago. Enthusiasm.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. Mr. Speaker, I'm getting numerous emails and calls regarding the evacuation travel support program and the fact that people have applied two, three, four months ago and still haven't received payments. I'd like to hear how the Minister is tracking these lack of payments; in other words, does she know who's applying for this program, and can she explain why so many people are waiting so long for their actual $750...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if Cabinet's not actively doing their job, what are they doing? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I begin, I wish to acknowledge you as our incoming Speaker. And I also wish to take the opportunity to acknowledge the Premier and the incoming Cabinet. We have a lot of hopes and ambition for the 20th Assembly. I believe our trust is well placed, and I look forward to seeing how it rolls out. That said, I did want it officially on the record, Mr. Speaker, that no one could ever say I didn't say anything nice about this new Cabinet and leadership, so I truly do deeply wish them well.

Mr. Speaker, my comments will be today specifically about addictions and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too wish to acknowledge a constituent, Mr. Shaun Dean. Thank you to the Member for Great Slave for acknowledging him as well. Many people know, and some do not know, he has served many an Assembly quite loyally for many years. I wouldn't quite go generations, but I would certainly say he's been an important fixture of the Assembly, and that should never go unacknowledged, his hard work and dedication. And he recently retired only a couple years ago. Frankly, I never thought he would retire. But that said, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Mr. Dean.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I first want to start off saying it’s been an incredible honour to be here for the last 12 years. The journey as being the MLA for Yellowknife Centre has always been an exciting one. Some days have been more fun than others, but I can tell you, all Members of this House can agree it’s a passionate challenge we all do.

Most of my colleagues – except for the two lucky ones here – we will all be putting their case to the constituents once again, hoping for another mandate, if their support thinks I’m worthy.

I have to stress wholeheartedly that I’m grateful for my...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly Committee Report 29-17(5), Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure Report on Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing. We’ve agreed to read just the executive summary.

Since the beginning of the 17th Assembly, the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure has worked steadily on the complex matter of hydraulic fracturing in the Northwest Territories, looking at horizontal hydraulic fracturing in particular. We have gathered information, undertaken study tours, monitored government strategic planning and...