Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to move a motion on page 8-7 regarding J.H. Sissons School and the renovation.

I move that this committee strongly recommends that the government take immediate action to identify the funding necessary to commence renovations on Ecole J.H. Sissons School in the fiscal year 2014-2015. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Menicoche.

The committee is well aware of the significance of wildlife to the people of the Northwest Territories and the complexity of developing new wildlife management legislation. Bill 3, the Wildlife Act, is the culmination of years of effort, dedication and inestimable investment of talent, interest and emotion on the part of a group of people as wide and diverse as the North itself. The Northwest Territories has undergone significant change since the new act was initially developed, and the committee recognizes that it is no small achievement to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recognizing a point that this is going to be before committee and it’s tough for the Minister to answer all the questions, the one thing I would notice is clear contrast between North Dakota and even Saskatchewan, in this case, and the Northwest Territories is public land ownership versus private land ownership. One of the things they can’t seem to get control of is pace of development. It seems they’re in such a hurry to get it out of the ground, and it’s focused around the interests of these oil companies.

My question for the Minister of Environment and Natural...

On the recent hydraulic fracturing tour that Member Bromley referenced, that we had gone with the Minister and many others, we had heard from Saskatchewan officials, one in particular – I believe he was a bioengineer of some sort or a biochemist – and he put great emphasis on the quality of the water being used and the fact that they’re not monitoring the fracking fluids that go in and come out. In their case, yes, they agreed that they go in and then much of it comes out, but they don’t know where it goes after that.

I suggested, well, why don’t we put tracers or markers in these things so we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague Mr. Bromley, I too wish to speak about fracking and concerns that continue to march on. We’ve recently seen the uprising and the protest in New Brunswick. Even across the three territories, we saw marching of Northerners expressing their views. I always welcome the views, both those I obviously support and, of course, I always welcome the views that I don’t necessarily agree with. It gives me a chance to learn all sides of the equation.

Although I have yet to find the point where I make up my mind whether I fully will support hydraulic fracturing or not...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have talked about this subject for many, many years and I know my colleagues have strongly talked about this subject at length as well. The Aurora College, in the downtown of Yellowknife, needs to be established in a mechanism that helps foster growth and further programming for all students of the Northwest Territories. It is constantly under siege when it comes to residence problems, which is they don’t have enough residence, even their parking. There is just nowhere for it to grow and go.

I hear constantly from the students, the staff and even some board members...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’ll just quickly run through a few of them. Although a number of them have already been mentioned, it is certainly worth noting.

I have expressed over the years, 10 years certainly, the need for an expanded role for Aurora College and certainly for the Department of Education to respond to the need. Aurora College has, within themselves, outgrown their existing space here in Yellowknife. I’m certainly always pleased to hear Members like Mr. Menicoche talk about how they want to work with other Members to achieve our goals, too, so I look forward to him helping this...

Mr. Speaker, for my final question of the day on this HPV vaccination, I want to make sure it is absolutely crystal clear in this House today that the Minister is saying he is going to see if he can correct it. He says he is going to see if he can fix this process to ensure that they are fairly covered.

I want to make sure it is clear before this House and certainly clear for the people of the Northwest Territories. If this is not the case, I would like the Minister to clarify this in the House through a Minister’s statement, explaining why these young men will not be getting the vaccination...

Mr. Speaker, I am elated to hear the fact that all people matter, according to the Minister, but I would like to hear when young men will matter in this particular case.

What can the Minister commit to today on clarifying this huge error for a huge percentage of our population? Young boys matter, as far as I’m concerned. Young men matter, and everyone. These kids matter.

What is the Health Minister willing to do today to show that they matter to the families out there thinking that this is a much needed vaccination? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the summer the Premier told me that he’d like to be the first repeat Premier and he was thinking about running again, he told me.

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Well, you know what? After listening to the way he spoke to me yesterday, he’s certainly not going to get my support unless he pulls up his socks.

When I listened to the Premier’s responses, and I can tell you I received a number of e-mails and comments from individuals in our community; they were quite disappointed. It seems very frustrating when the Premier’s response to the Members, who have legitimate, reasonable questions...