Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Northstar is a local organization that, as of recently, used to offer assistance to our employees through the Employee Family Assistance Program. They lost the contract and, Mr. Speaker, sometimes it’s a reality that comes to the competitive bid process. However, they lost it to a southern firm, a national firm that, in my opinion, misrepresented themselves with key information that I believe underpins their bid. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Human Resources who is truly aware of this issue and the circumstances under what’s going on....

Mr. Chairman, could I get some details as far as with this RV campground planning and development. Is this the Folk on the Rocks site money and, if so, is that proceeding? Maybe I can get some details first on what is that $140,000. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister willing to direct the department and the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority to do everything within its power to make sure that all contract negotiations are concluded before the summer months? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That just seems too good to be true. Is he saying that even with the increase in the power bill, the offsetting difference between what is estimated for the fuel price and that, that we would be able to pay for this project within three to five years? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I outlined in my Member’s statement today, I have concerns with the status of the negotiations that are going on at Aven Manor here in Yellowknife. I also mentioned the concern of the level of support the department is providing the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority in conducting those negotiations. Can the Minister inform the Assembly on the status of the negotiations with the union representing the workers at Aven Manor here? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the detailed information from the Minister. I thought he was running the clock on me. Mr. Chair, I thought, if I understand it correctly, the Akaitcho are going to run a water summit coming up here. I am not sure why the Minister would want to be running one as well. I don’t know if he is competing or enhancing it some other way, but I am just curious on this technical advisor detail and then you went on further to talk about the impacts of oil sands. I am surprised you are not going off to an area in discussion that talks about reaching CPAWS and things...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish I could be talking about the abuse of alcohol today…(inaudible)…with my colleagues, but with a short session I have another topic I have to raise today that’s very important. March 31st is always a significant date in the NWT and it’s the end of the government’s fiscal year. As well, it coincides with the end of many contracts that go along with our NGOs. Today I’d like to talk about one of those contracts, or lack of contracts, Mr. Speaker.

Workers at Aven Manor in Yellowknife saw their contract expire six weeks ago, on March 31st. These...

Yes, still there.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister today commit in this House that he would go out to some type of public consultation to engage our engineers and architects on coming up with sustainable design principles for all our public government infrastructures so the percentage of cost overruns are minimized? For a note to that, Alaska has 15 percent as an acceptable overrun. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there’s a solution to this obvious problem. We could engage our public, we could engage our professionals about true, real designs for our northern location. I’m tired about hearing about cost overruns, about one project delaying or possibly cancelling out another because of the skyrocketing costs. I think the future and expansive growth of our Northwest Territories requires smart design, and with community involvement we could solve this problem together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause