Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my particular area of interest right now is an area I've talked about before, and I am trying to find out about population growth. As we all know, our grant from Canada is tied to that, amongst many other things, but, of course, key is population growth. And given the fact that we suffer a significant deficit in human resource, opportunities, and specialized skills, trades, etcetera, including doctors and nurses, and yada, yada, yada -- Mr. Speaker, we would be putting a full frontage on that. So my question for the Premier is, what type of mandate has he...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My second motion is regarding the Legislative Assembly Compensation and Benefits Report.

WHEREAS Tabled Document 445-20(1), 2025 Review of Members of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly Compensation and Benefits Report, has been tabled in this House;.

AND WHEREAS the 2025 Review of Members of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly Compensation and Benefits Report requires detailed consideration;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Tabled Document 445-20(1), 2025 Review of Members of the Northwest...

Mr. Speaker, I won't educate the House what double jeopardy is, but it's also used as a lay term being tried twice. Mr. Speaker, the current dental review officer has processed -- we'll call it concerns on an individual constituent. The issue is so much so is that who -- brings to the question is if -- who reviews the work and mandate of the dental review officer to ensure they administer a fair and reasonable process? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Both the Member for Range Lake and I, we worked and talked quite a great length about this particular motion. It's really reflective of the feelings of the people in the community. And I don't necessarily just mean Yellowknife. I mean everywhere. I mean, there's nowhere I travel and don't hear about the stresses of power. I mean, I was in Hay River last weekend for the day and I heard people complain about the power bills. And, Mr. Speaker, when you read online or you see the table in Parliament when they talk about an $850 power bill, using a round number, you know...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two notices of motion here for the House today. The first one I will start with is Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, March 6th, 2026, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the Member for Range Lake, that this Legislative Assembly calls upon the Government of the Northwest Territories to develop a policy for increased public transparency for any proposed direct appointment during the final six months of the term of a Legislative Assembly;

And further, that the policy seeks to limit the use of direct appointments with clear and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, continuing on the human resource theme, and I can't stress I've had the pleasure of going through, at least on a cursory review, of the public service annual report. So I am going to draw to the attention both the two years of 2023-2024 and the following report 2024-2025 as the simple examples.

Mr. Speaker, on page 50, ironically in both reports, it is the only when phrase direct appointments is used. It's not used in any other phrasing or calculation. And it embeds the issue that I am trying to raise. It says internal mobility includes all transfers, and in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will accept the kind effort of -- so I am not going to give a -- to answer the question so I am not going to try to dig or quip on that process. My question was built around could she explain the policy, how it works and how it's monitored in the sense of transparency. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hear the Minister. I am not going to say she's wrong from my perspective; I am going to say I do respect the point. I just want to make sure that that's clear. But I don't think she's missing the concerns I am raising which is functionally that when the government goes off to -- or sorry, when the Assembly goes off to an election, the government's still in function, they make decisions, and the next public service report isn't out for six months and there's no one here to ask questions. So, Mr. Speaker, that's the function of the issue.

So, Mr. Speaker, what...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hopefully you won't be as tough on me. That was tough.

Mr. Speaker, in the final months of the Assembly, you would have experienced -- you've been here more than one term, including any Member who's been here more than one term -- the Assembly does make some appointments through the executive council, and my concern is about the transparency and how that is particularly reported. So my question is specific to the Minister for human resources in this particular regard, although it's a Cabinet concern overall.

Can the Minister explain what safeguards currently exist around...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, March 6, 2026, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the Member for Range Lake, that this Legislative Assembly calls upon the Government of the Northwest Territories to develop a comprehensive whole of government Crime Reduction Strategy;

And furthermore, that the Government of the Northwest Territories ensure the strategy implement proactive supports for northern youth, including enhanced after school programs, mentorship opportunities, and culturally grounded land-based healing initiatives to...