Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about the need for a convention bureau in the Northwest Territories. There is a strong need for our market to be looking towards that direction, to get out their campaign and draw in the meetings and conventions to the North.

In the past this type of discussion has led to the need for a convention centre here in Yellowknife, but it’s become more and more obvious that if you build it, they won’t necessarily come. So the convention centre idea has to be put on hold, but the foundation of any good and successful convention centre needs to be laid down...

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Minister for that offer. I just want to put it officially on the record. Would the Minister be willing to entertain a meeting, if I can put one together, to discuss this very matter about looking at addressing possibly the Engle house as the new Commissioner’s house and, of course, further discussions about selling the present Commissioner’s house even though it is sitting vacant for four to five years? If he would be willing to agree to a meeting, that would be great. Thank you.

Well, Mr. Speaker, I did inquire with that office regarding the cost of how much it would be to heat and power that empty Commissioner’s house that will be sitting empty between four and five years. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister of Public Works have the figures that it would cost the government to have that house sit empty for those four to five years? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to use my Member’s statement to acknowledge the passing of Jack Adderley in December. Jack was 86 and had lived in Yellowknife for 52 years. He was well known for many things, especially his humour. One of the lasting efforts that Jack left our community was the 1972 partnership with Jack Sigvaldson, commonly known as Sig, when the two of them launched their own newspaper, a local rag called the Yellowknifer. I’m sure many of you may have heard of it before.

The first cutting-edge newspaper was designed on the desk of a kitchen table and the dark room was...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be voting for this excellent motion here today. I want to thank Mr. Menicoche for bringing it forward. Mr. Menicoche, I think, truly hits upon a nerve that should be a value that we wear on our chest every single day here. I mean, this Assembly quite often talks about its respect for elders and our seniors, and this motion replies to that call for action. It says that we should be helping people age in place. Aging in place is a philosophy out there to ensure that aging people are allowed to stay as independent as possible with the support of those around you, and...

Mr. Speaker, it is not so much about the cost; it is about the waste of money. The fact is the house will be sitting between four and five years completely empty and there is no guarantee the next Commissioner of the Northwest Territories will be taking up residency in there, regardless if they are from Yellowknife or any other jurisdiction in NWT. Mr. Speaker, my question is simple. Would the Minister be able to work with the cross-Cabinet officials, depending on whether it is the Minister of Finance or even the Premier’s office, about looking and evaluating the offer made by Bob Engle a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Public Works. Mr. Speaker, it’s regarding the Commissioner’s house of the Northwest Territories. Our present Commissioner won’t be taking up residency in the Commissioner’s house that we’ve allocated them for their privilege, of course, if that’s one that they want to exercise. It will be sitting empty for four years. Mr. Speaker, in the past, Bob Engle, a well-known aviation Northerner, has offered to give his house to the Northwest Territories for an appropriate tax credit. It’s more of a regal style of house to accept important...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that we report progress.

---Defeated

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I see we have lease commitments for infrastructure for the visitors centre in Inuvik as well as Dawson. I’m just wondering, does ITI provide any sort of contributions to the visitors centre in the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre that’s located here in Yellowknife that serves the whole North Slave. Thank you.

That’s good.