Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. One of the issues here we are really facing is the fact that this used to be a MACA program and then MACA transfers the community gas money and the gas tax money, and then they say sorry, we don’t do this anymore. That is sort of one of the problems that we are faced with. That is why these motions keep coming up.

I have often said that there is a policy problem here, where the government used to do this but then they decide that now they are not in this business. I don’t think that there has ever been a heart-to-heart deciding on what government should be responsible...

Mr. Speaker, I spoke to some people in the community and they’re quite concerned that there’s no mandate or terms of reference on how this is proceeding. It’s designed pretty much as an open, like a blank page approach for community consultation. Mr. Speaker, I would think that it would be more useful if we had a terms of reference and a mandate that demonstrated how they plug into the other two components, which is, of course, the value for money audit and the proposal that’s being reviewed through ATCO and the GNWT partners. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister not agree that a terms of reference...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While asking questions to the Premier earlier, what seemed to keep getting slipped in the whole process was the fact that there’s no mandate or terms of reference for this electrical review that’s going on. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to hear from the Premier why there isn’t a mandate but we’re sending them out starting in Inuvik in the next couple days to hear from the people. Why is it just treated as a public discussion without a mandate? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the work is done and the work is in place and the work is in gear, whatever analogy the Premier wants to use, then would the Premier table the terms of reference and the mandate of all these three entities and show how they converge for long-term better power to all Northerners?

I finally understand it. We have Stevie Wonder over there driving the car. That’s why it’s so banged up. No one knows where they’re going. So I only mean it as someone blind is driving this car in the context of the analogy. The fact is, nobody knows where these plug in and are hoping like heck they are not going to be the solution. Would the Premier put a halt to this, come up with a terms of mandate and show where this plan is going, where this car is going, for better power, better solutions in northern hands?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Board of Management and the Office of the Clerk examine the issues related to:

(a)

the purchase of laptop computers for Members;

(b)

planning and installation and additional infrastructure to support the connections; and

(c)

planning for the changes to operational procedures and websites to support the increased use of e-documents in committees and the Assembly and return with a plan and schedule to develop and implement the changes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is a relief that at least people are taking an eye to this concern and maybe it’s not so bad in some areas. I am certainly glad to hear that. What does the department do when it comes to power consumption? I mean, in the context of power bills, do they take a look at those and monitor those and say you have four people in your house, how come…Do they compare that to an average household usage somewhere in the range of 700 to 1,200 kilowatts a month? Do they do that type of analysis? The reason I am asking this is if they are funding public housing and people aren’t...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this is an exciting day for me because I have been trying to promote the use of laptops in Committee of the Whole for a long time. I’ve looked around Canada and I’ve seen that most Legislatures, including the House of Commons, allow the use of laptops in their proceedings and allow them to do the work required at the same time as normal House business goes on.

Mr. Chairman, I think this is a bit scary for some Members and it certainly would be new for others, but the thing here is it would allow Members to do work at the same time. I see it as a working...

If I’m approximately correct in that, three times the amount is how much more we’re paying than the normal rate. So if our water bill is almost $6 million, then a normal bill in this regard should -- the combined water bills, that is, when I refer to a normal water bill -- only be around $2 million. If we’re just using it as to subsidize the communities, why aren’t we just funnelling this money through MACA through some sort as opposed to doing it through the back door? It seems like a flawed policy that we’re inflating one side of the equation just to hide income under another process. Why...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures tabled Committee Report 3-16(3) on February 11, 2009. This report on the use of laptop computers and BlackBerry devices in the Legislative Assembly was read into the record and a motion was passed to move the report into Committee of the Whole. Members may recall that the report recommended that laptop computers be allowed during the Committee of the Whole proceedings during the sitting of the Legislative Assembly and that the use of laptops be evaluated.

The committee is also recommending that the standing and special...