Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2009, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that this Assembly signify its commitment to work with the governments of Nunavut and the Yukon Territory in lobbying the federal government to remove the GST from the cost of home heating fuel, electricity and the cost of transporting goods to and within the Northwest Territories;

And further, that a copy of this motion be provided to the federal Minister of Finance, Members of Parliament of the Northwest...

Mr. Speaker, I think the answer there is the willingness to look at this issue. I want to get assurance from this Minister, because my constituent has brought this issue forward to me and wants to continue to make investment in the North. You don’t have to go too far to see their investment; it’s quite significant. The investment by this company that I’m referring to, I’d be more than pleased to refresh the name to the Minister after this question period. The fact is, they don’t represent northern business anymore; their name, maybe. Would the Minister be willing to reinvestigate this business...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The BIP policy, as many of us well know, was established to help grow, foster, develop northern business and development. I think, in many cases, it has worked quite successfully to demonstrate that there is a real genuine interest in developing the northern economy and establishing southern businesses here in the North. Mr. Speaker, sometimes, though, when a company is listed under the BIP policy, they get sold and basically all that is left is the storefront and the actual business that does the work vacates the Northwest Territories but they keep their storefront...

Those are excellent answers from the Minister because I can really hear his desire to make sure that they’re successful. Is there any philosophy based in the funding principles of these agencies that some of this money will be lost or lapsed, or is the program designed from the philosophy to make sure that they get as much money as possible that we put on the books for them?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was listening very attentively to the questions raised by the Member for Weledeh. I certainly support the issue of trying to support our daycares in any way possible. The fact is the support that they need is certainly a very worthy effort that they do taking care of our youth as well as providing education. Mr. Speaker, when I was listening to this, it kind of made me think of the argument municipalities used or often the argument that the territorial government uses which is when they go to Ottawa and they talk about base plus. I am just wondering in the context of...

The Minister had said we need more consultation with the public and then he said a few other things I didn’t quite write down, but he also said works towards this with the standing committee. I just want to be clear, in my experience here, that almost sounded like a commitment that the Department of Justice will investigate this issue and create some type of public dialogue. Can I get that clearly on the record today, that the Minister of Justice will create some type of dialogue framework or discussion paper, get out, speak to committee as well as speak to the public?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue that I raised today in my Member’s statement will be the focus of my questions to the Minister of Justice. I keep raising the issue of fair rent for working families. My first question to the Minister of Justice is, what is stopping his department from looking into the issue of some type of rent control that provides protection for working families due to increased cost to the rent?

Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, there is an electrical review that is supposed to go on, but again no terms of reference, no mandate. There is none. They will travel all through the North and meet a lot of great people. The press release reads, engage NWT residents of a territorial-wide discussion. That is exactly what they will get, a discussion on everything. Mr. Speaker, it is going to take the direction of the JRP hearings. It is going to run for as long as people can talk.

Mr. Speaker, I challenge the Premier to table terms of reference and show us how the mandates of all of these...

Mr. Speaker, I’m only asking these questions because it seems it’s being asked in the public. I appreciate the frustration the Minister may be having, but the fact is there are people out there concerned that it doesn’t have a mandate and there’s no blueprint on how they converge. Mr. Speaker, I’ve heard answers from the Premier today and he seems to assume they will converge sometime in the fall, if they do. I’d like to know, without a mandate and terms of reference, how do we stay on track, how do we stay focused, how does it make sense and how do we know where we’re going without that type...

Mr. Speaker, that’s all well and good, but why do we not have a terms of reference and a mandate for this and something on paper that demonstrates how it plugs into the bigger picture for solutions for rates and costs going forward? Why is there no mandate? Why is there no terms of reference? Thank you.