Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to return to the question I was asking earlier here. And I'm concerned about natural justice when we have five bidders, four have been disqualified, and ends up with only one. It's not about the fact that the individual company got it. It's about the process, Mr. Speaker.

So my questions now are directed to the Minister responsible for procurement Services asking about particularly around natural justice. Where is the fairness in having an appeal process that doesn't allow the individuals to actually appeal the contract that the government refuses to consider them...

Mr. Speaker, in the standard we use for hiring process, if there was a competition and the job ends up finding one winner and there's an appeal period, no one's technically awarded the job until that appeal period is going. Why is this so much different given the fact that it's the exact same concept except we award millions of dollars and we put millions of dollars at risk during the appeal period that we could end up paying for it twice in theory? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've been thinking about this for a year and holy smokers, I felt like something really ran over me there when I was trying to read the motion in, and I guess it's a surge of emotion and respect for the Whitford family, Tony in particular, and of course people like his brother Marc who we have here in the gallery today. And I want to thank the Whitford family for allowing me to bring forward this initiative. I'd spoken to his three sons in different forms who I knew. I think I pressed the issue in particular to two of them out of the three, and everyone I spoke to in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I am going to talk about an opportunity that can support our workforce, diversify our economy, and just make sure life is just a little bit more enjoyable. It all starts by working through the Apprenticeship, Trade, and Occupational Certification Act and that particular program, Mr. Speaker. I am going to highlight two issues in this area of opportunity, but I am going to probably drill down a little further on one.

The first one we've all probably heard of, it's called landscaping and horticulture. Did you know it's a red seal trade program? Across the country...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the opportunity to say a few comments. I am going to focus on one particular area of the budget, but first I want to talk about budgets in general.

So we're not here to talk about the operations budget, and let's be clear, we're not. But there's only two times a year the Members collectively have the ability to have some type of influence on needs and outcomes. So how do we know what a perfect budget is? Whether it's the capital or operations -- and, again, the capital is the one before us, and it's usually the one that reflects us or feels like it...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for years there's been an intention to put a governance council called an airport authority over the Yellowknife airport zone, which includes the capital pieces he's mentioning. That said, I'm wondering where it is in the process because it seems to be in the dark, and it hasn't emerged for years. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Infrastructure.

Specifically, it's about the Yellowknife airport authority. Can the Minister give an update as to where that is in the current planning for implementation? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Not necessarily for my next question, but I kind of anticipated that was the only thing I could find that related to it.

Mr. Speaker, my next question is about in not that long ago, some members who were on the old trades advisory council, which is basically the same thing just rebranded, were sent to Fort Smith to do what's called marking desks, and that's when you send tradespeople to ensure that the teaching and practices have met a standard but yet they're not involved anymore, and I'm returning to the trades marking desks.

Mr. Speaker, is there any reason...

Mr. Speaker, I can appreciate what the Minister's response was in the last one. So I mean, I can't specifically criticize demand or opportunity, but that said, she can also facilitate through the process. And the simple example I'd say is that when an electrician goes for their second year and it's not available at an Aurora College, they can then be referred to down south and it's a bit of a process. In other words, if it doesn't fit we can find a way. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister find a way to help access other programs as noted are available in Ontario, Alberta, BC, etc.? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement today, I talked about some challenges and certainly some opportunities we could all do to help with the trades and development of workers here in the Northwest Territories, including our economy. Mr. Speaker, I asked the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment what can she do to help with the Department of ECE, and in also further partnership with the Aurora College, to help recognize further trades, in particular, as I noted landscaping and horticulture, as well as the lather and interior mechanics systems, also known as drywall. Thank...