Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to try to recognize each session -- or, you know, to the best of my ability, one of the interpreters, one of my friends, Ms. Sarah Cleary. She puts in an enormous amount of work keeping up with us. Sometimes when we get going too fast, I do worry about the hard work she has to do, but I'm very grateful that Sarah here is representing her language and the spirit of her community, and she's a Sahtu constituent in Yellowknife. So anyway, I'm always grateful to see her. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about the encampment again today, but I also want to talk about it from the perspective of the impacts on the community. And what I mean by that is the residents have to live next to them, businesses, and even in situations like such as yesterday, the museum, government, and other types of organizations, and private businesses in that. They have to be silenced. You can't have the museum director over here yelling do something here. No, government can't get away with that. But residents, let's start with that, Mr. Speaker. They have to listen...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The health Minister's pointing at the housing Minister. Mr. Speaker, I feel it's time to bring up the Pharmacy Act again. I haven't spoken about it in a little while so that will be going to the health Minister, not the housing Minister, despite her pointing the finger.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like an update as to where this particular work is given the fact that I've raised several times that this is an opportunity for us to save money as well as an opportunity to do business better; and lastly, everyone else in Canada, outside of the two territories, not three, two...

Okay, I like to use the phrase setting the table. Now we have a sense of what we're talking about. So here we go, Mr. Speaker.

Is the Minister aware of how often we actually have people who transition out of transitional housing into regular, private housing? In other words, we've helped them, and now that they're able to survive and proceed on their own? Could the Minister answer that question. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this number's one of those things you could make a lot of fun out of it. But to get right down to the nitty-gritty is is there a way to get this number revisited? Because I don't know anybody who could travel on medical travel and only eat their full day's worth of meals for $18. So in other words, would the Minister be willing to go back and look at the inflationary costs of what even a basic meal costs to ensure our citizens are treated fairly and respectfully? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently I was looking at the medical travel expense claim form, and I was looking at this form and I noticed the -- a constituent drew to my attention that the daily rate for meals is $18. It's hard to imagine, Mr. Speaker. And they pointed out to me, they said, you know, if I went to McDonald's, that would be the $18, buying a quarter pounder with cheese or, you know, some type of Big Mac, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my question for the Minister of Health and Social Services is when was the last time this daily rate was ever looked at? Thank you, Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So approximately 1,400. I like round numbers so whether it's, you know, 1,208 or, you know, 1,440. 1,400 is a nice number. So, Mr. Speaker -- it's a clear number, sorry, not a nice number.

Can the Minister give some details on how many businesses, and northern businesses to be specific, will be impacted by the closure of these three mines? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I raise it again because it's so important. If there are propane tanks there, open fires, jerry cans, all within reach, Mr. Speaker, and garbage spewing everywhere and, in my opinion, some difficult living conditions, can the Minister provide this House, if not verbally today, some statistics and data on how often these sites are all individually inspected and what have been the results from each individual inspection with some dates? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask questions to the Minister of ECC about encampments.

Mr. Speaker, the GNWT has designated Commissioner's land as a place to go, so in other words they're actually sanctioning encampments on Commissioner's land. And by directing them in that particular area, there must be some responsibility that is taken. So knowing for a fact there are propane tanks, jerry cans stored properly -- improperly to be clear, open fires, and there's waste that's spilling on to private property that the private property owners have to be now responsible for, what...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Where do I begin my disagreement? There are so many spots. But I have to pick one; I'll start with the last one.

Shame on the government saying that they're going to vote -- you know, take this recommendation, abstain from it. At least be on the record that you're voting it down. It's a shame. Politicians are meant to make decisions, and often I see the -- when people abstain, such as the Cabinet, the citizens see it as a very sincere disappointment. At least stand somewhere on the issue.

Mr. Speaker, the decision made by -- or I should rather coin it as the...