Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over a decade ago I was here on the vanguard asking the question why go to an automatic power franchise renewal.

Mr. Speaker, there's more than one company out there that could do this. I read this on the weekend, and I was kind of surprised, if not shocked, to see that the city is going to an automatic renewal with the current provider. That would be Naka Power, Mr. Speaker. No one's speaking ill will. They provide a great service to the community. They're wonderful people. But, Mr. Speaker, the problem comes down to is couldn't we do business better, and...

Mr. Speaker, maybe the Minister has a different definition of camping. Mr. Speaker, could the Minister enlighten this House the difference between encampments with big stovepipes and tents and all those kinds of things versus the traditional camping that most of us understand. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to target my questions to the Minister of ECC.

Mr. Speaker, not just recently but repeatedly I've been told by tourism operators how embarrassed they are to take international tourists to the museum area, park in front of where the encampment is, where we showcase our northern history, culture, our best of our best, Mr. Speaker. Given that, that there's spaces and openings and opportunities in the current shelter network, what is ECC finally doing to clean up those spaces, those public spaces? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that there is room at the shelters -- okay, that's important -- and there's a real public concern around this particular issue, why is the government not working to clean up these shelters -- or sorry, these encampments and move folks to the shelters given that we have a vacancy at -- safe space at the shelters? And the point, ultimately, is people are concerned about the spaces when the government is demonstrating inaction. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think I was more trying to target process as opposed to current action, Mr. Speaker. So I guess in some ways I will just repeat the similar type of question, which is, Mr. Speaker, what type of process would it take to eliminate a third party managing power distribution in the Northwest Territories and therefore the NWT Power Corp., which in this case there really isn't competition, would directly supply customers directly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be to the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corp. Noting that Hay River has now moved from working with a franchise agreement with Naka Power and they've gone directly to NT Power Corp, Mr. Speaker, I am wondering when will we get some type of public articulation of the savings that have been hopefully realized by changing their power purchase agreement directly with NWT Power Corp. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your honourable committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 33, Technical Safety Statutes Amendment Act.

Bill 33 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on October 30th, 2025, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment for its review.

Mr. Speaker, on February 10th, 2026, the committee held a public hearing with the Minister of Infrastructure and completed its clause by clause with the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I can say after committee's robust review and reports now back that the Technical Safety...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure what the Cabinet's hoping for after hearing that answer. My goodness, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, someone at a political level should represent the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, if the Minister doesn't have the time, maybe one of us. I sit on the committee that oversees it. And, if anything, Mr. Speaker, I am sure the senior envoy has nothing to do; he could go. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister be willing to designate someone or put an offer out there, because those parents and youth really appreciate us joining arm-in-arm with them, supporting them, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my last question really is focused around the North Slave now. Where would the campus be? Is there any actual planning or identification of where the North Slave campus would be located and what type of partners they'd be working with? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are going to be to the Minister of education and just get an update with respect to how the polytech is evolving.

Recently, in the news, Mr. University, we saw the announcement of the Nunavut University. I also read in the news about the Manitoba Institute of Technology losing almost 50 percent of foreign students and, hence, they have to shutter their polytech. And, lastly, Mr. Speaker, I should point out that the Polytech Institute in northern Canada became a polytech within months of planning.

So I guess watching the online transitional...