Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I gave the Premier credit for the first three answers but certainly not the last one, because I’m still working and I think this Assembly should still be working on these particular issues. That’s why I’m thinking it’s quite important, if not critical, that we continue to work on these issues going forward, because we still have a mandate. Although technically it may end shortly, it’s still active. That’s why I’m asking for this.

Would the Premier inquire with the Finance Minister at the appropriate time to see if they could incorporate this opportunity again while the...

I appreciate the Premier’s answer about the corporations tabling their annual reports, but, quite frankly, most Members I would be surprised have an auditing or accounting background. Therefore we read them for what they are, to ensure that the ledger sheets are balanced.

Performance audits, as cited by the Auditor General of Canada, really look at assets, safeguards, controls, human, physical, and financial resource management, and ensure that operations are carried out efficiently. That’s not addressed in the table of the annual reports. That’s really what I’m getting down to. That type of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to speak to the need for mandatory regular performance audits on territorial corporations owned by the GNWT, like the NWT Housing Corporation, the NWT Power Corporation, and the Business Development and Investment Corporation. This is an issue I have raised many times before in this House, Mr. Speaker, in this Assembly and certainly in the last.

As we all know, these corporations are, of course, subject to annual financial audits by the Auditor General’s office, which examines the books and ensures the financial reporting practices are in accordance with...

I have to admit that the Department of Transportation or even this Minister is ahead in some of his ideas. I won’t take that as a criticism. I will say that’s very unusual and welcome to hear that.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, one of the big comments -- and I’ll give the credit to the Department of Transportation -- was to put a TV in there to keep people occupied while they are waiting for service. One of the observations being made is it takes too long to go through, because the average everyday person doesn’t have 15 minutes to run in, because it’s not 15 minutes. It turns into almost an hour. I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask questions directed to the Minister of Transportation. In my Member’s statement today, Mr. Speaker, I talked about better customer service approach on the issuing of things like licence plate stickers, driver’s abstracts, and that’s really what I’m after here, is maybe moving government business forward with an eye to servicing the public a little better.

I want to put on the record, of course, that this is in no way a criticism of the public service of who’s providing this service. It’s just the way it seems to work in this type of area.

Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When someone works at one of the government customer service counters, they are providing an essential service as a front-line worker. At times, I’m sure, regardless of how hard they work and how hard they try, there are many days they think it’s probably a thankless job. I’m thankful and grateful that many of them keep coming back day after day and providing the essential services that we need so much. So when I come across a matter like I’m going to raise today, I want to raise it with both concern and respect for the job that our public service staff are certainly...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the attitude the Minister is carrying here today to ensure that customer service is kept at a high standard, and his approach is to move the issues forward so we can provide better quality service.

Mr. Speaker, the last question is built around timing, which is when can the public see any type of movement forward on this particular issue, as well as where can the everyday citizen provide some input on new suggestions and on these concepts? The Minister says a 21-minute waiting time in the room and I think he said a nine-minute waiting time with the actual...

I’m kind of glad we’re not hurting the Minister’s feelings there as he made a special note here. It’s good to see that he’s sensitive and actually cares about particular issues, for a change at least.

Mr. Speaker, Ontario is leading the way on a number of initiatives of improving services and always with a keen eye to ensure that the services are marked in a way that provides the best quality response times and actions for the constituents, which would be the Ontario people. Mr. Speaker, I would hope the Northwest Territories government has the same type of attitude. The Ontario government has...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to mark this occasion by recognizing Ms. Emma Ouellette, who is paging in this Assembly while we’re in our final sitting. To make special note, she is the daughter of Darrin Ouellette, who once was a table officer who now works for the Assembly as the director of corporate services. Welcome.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the summer a very interesting and serious concern came forward to my office. It was the issue of emergency medical pick-up of a person who was at a well-known northern lodge. We all have heard about the government preaching for years about how important it is to get active and be active, to ensure that we live healthy lifestyles and stay healthy as long as possible. This occasion was clearly no different than matching one of those wonderful campaigns about being active. However, during this outing a serious respiratory problem became the highlight of the occasion...