Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From my last question, it’s certainly seen as it can be an obstruction of the freedoms and rights of a Member to do their job if we are not able to participate fundamentally in a meaningful way on decisions of this magnitude. We’re not talking about a $100 decision here; we’re talking about a $32 million decision.

So, how does the Minister expect that we will be meaningfully involved in some type of decision between October 8th and October 25th prior to the election starting, because everybody knows October 8th is the last sitting day. So if they do not have any decision...

I’m sure I don’t need to remind the Minister that we only have basically a week of committee meetings left and the Assembly, of course, is done on October 8th from a sitting point of view and Members are still active, in theory of course, until I think it’s the stroke of midnight on Sunday the 25th.

But decisions are being made behind the scenes and I think the issue really comes down to what assurances can the Minister provide the House publicly that no decision, if there is a situation where there may be a need for extra money, that no decision will be made in absence of the Members having an...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The GNWT announced last week that they are reviewing a $32 million claim submitted by the contractor for the Inuvik-Tuk Highway. As we’ve heard time and time again, this is an iron-clad contract. It’s a fixed price and there will be no need for extra money. Boy, if I had a dollar every time I heard that.

I’m also going to remind everyone that this was a negotiated contract which was promised not to cost more than $299 million. So what happened? As fate would have it, an e-mail error through our good colleague Mr. Menicoche certainly sheds some new light on this project...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the time and certainly the clock of the day is running out, I’m going to be really brief and then I’ll report progress from thereon in.

The issue I wanted to highlight and say is that I’m very excited to see that the two schools have made the capital plan this year, and I think that couldn’t have been done without the great work of all Members on this particular side of the House. I know that each Member was very gracious on supporting that these two plans, one for Mildred Hall and one for Sissons, got on the books. I know it was raised by many of my colleagues over...

Can the Minister clearly say to this House that no decision will be made if the case need be to advance money on this project, that no decision will be made if Members are not around in any normal form or fashion to be able to participate in a meaningful discussion, debate and decision?

If there is some decision, I just don’t know how it’s going to happen and I’d hate to see a Deh Cho Bridge déjà vu all over again.

So, is the Minister going to say to the House clearly that no decision will be made in absence of the Members being able to fully participate in the decision?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Transportation will certainly be the lucky recipient of my questions this afternoon, and I’m sure he’ll be quite pleased to have them. My questions will be focused around, of course, the $32 million claim being submitted by the contractor.

As we understand it, we don’t know what the outcome of that is, so to be clear, I don’t think a decision has been made to spend money or not. But I think it’s important to stress this and build a good foundation on the issue of the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway. I need to be clear, there is no question about the importance...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I gingerly put it on three occasions here in my Member’s statement, or during my question statement that is, to frankly ask are layoffs happening and is that being considered. The Minister at no time took the opportunity to say that it isn’t part of the evaluation process that will ultimately be decided by the 18th Assembly.

The Minister can deny it on the last one because he gets the last word, but the fact is, is the government looking at drafting layoff plans as part of the consideration going forward in the 18th Assembly? If the Minister says no, great, but the...

Mr. Speaker, the new government hasn’t taken over, so the operation of the present government in the context of finance is the responsibility of the present government and, furthermore, the responsibility of the Finance Minister. So when departments are drafting these potential lists for consideration for future governments, it’s a responsibility of today at today’s direction, which is ultimately the responsibility of this House, Mr. Speaker.

What type of transparency process is put into place as the government cobbles these options together? Ultimately, I am worried about fair, honest and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I see that we have two of my constituents, although they’ve already been recognized, but they certainly deserve the credit and recognition once again. I’d like to recognize constituent Chief Superintendent Ron Smith and Superintendent Mike LeSage. They’re not only constituents, they’re both neighbours, so I feel very safe and very proud to have our RCMP members here in the gallery today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, it’s interesting that we are talking about this. It’s not about the power and it’s not about the rate increase. I think this is about the procedural step that Members feel denied. We shouldn’t cloud the issue with whatever goodwill and intent was provided by the Minister and his argument based solely on the fact to shelter constituents would be an argument worth any opportunity to make time and time again.

Are we worried about why we did it or what method it was done by? I think the merits of why it was done perhaps says, yes, we had to find a way to ensure...