Robert Hawkins

What does the Minister have by way of information that he can share with Members, such as myself, with regard to the $2 million that would have been spent by this March 31st? I’m trying to see what project development, what’s guiding information, planning documents, trying to get a sense of it. At the same time, the other additional question is: Who is doing this work?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Where else would you do capital planning and discussion other than asking questions in the Assembly? What is the problem that’s holding this particular issue back? Is it because it’s an investment in the city of Yellowknife, or is it because the Premier has other ambitions or obligations that he is afraid to meet and cause conflict with this idea?

That’s one of the worst answers I’ve heard from Premier McLeod in a long time. The fact is, the 15-year-old study said we needed a new courthouse. The existing building was built in 1977 when we only had four judges and limited staff and processes. The territory has practically doubled in size. What will it take to get the courthouse situation reviewed by this government, weighed and balanced fairly, not an emotional decision? Because does this Premier have an issue with investing in Yellowknife or is he thinking that our needs in this territory don’t matter when it comes to a territorial...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to use this occasion to recognize Kain Bezha, who is a St. Pat student and a Yellowknife Centre constituent. I would like to let him know, as well as everyone else who is a Page here, that I am greatly appreciative of their services, as Mr. Menicoche was saying. He is quite right. Several of us MLAs got our start as Pages in this Assembly. You never know where you can go next.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Have there been any consultant reports generated thus far, and can they be shared with committee Members like myself?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Under infrastructure planning, I’m curious as to the detail, if the Minister can explain the infrastructure planning that falls with the Stanton Territorial Hospital. What money is involved? What money is being seeded into that master plan development and when can we start to see some details of that?

Now is another fine example of divide and conquer. Urban versus rural, committee versus process. Maybe the Premier, being such a maven when it comes to court space and experience, maybe you can explain why the existing courthouse, in its existing form, works and meets the needs of health and safety of our employees as well as, as I mentioned earlier, those accused, those victims and those witnesses when we’re working on their initiatives for the people.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about the need for a new territorial courthouse. Needs have certainly changed, but the space has not. You can only reorganize the existing courthouse so many times before it becomes unpalatable. I just want to say two more things, which is, the courthouse as it exists now doesn’t flow nicely when you consider the responsibility and sensitivity needed towards sexual assault victims where sometimes accused, the victims and the witnesses are all huddled together in the same area. It just makes it unpalatable.

The last thing I want to...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to provide a couple of quick opening comments and more points when we get to the specific page.

I do want to acknowledge the work that is being done by the department, I personally would have liked to have seen more work done on midwifery, expanding it to more of a territorial program. Certainly it’s much needed here in Yellowknife. As a matter of fact, I’m sure the Minister is well aware, if not, he’ll hear it first, that, of course, there’s a bit of a rally towards the Ledge tomorrow and it’s coming here, so I would hope that they would take note of the...

More job opportunities for the southern workforce as I describe as tourists just visiting. Section 8 of the socio-economic agreement speaks to remedies. I have not heard any solutions other than let’s talk, let’s trade dialogue, let’s have meetings. Who is defending the northern person who needs a job, who is opening up opportunities? It doesn’t sound like this Minister, and if he is, then let’s hear concrete facts and commitments on how he’s doing that, because I haven’t heard anything to date. Thank you.