Robert Hawkins

Thank you. I guess from a Member's point of view, it certainly would have been nice to deal with this issue in the May-June session. I can appreciate that FMBS may have screened it out, but this is a decision before the House and I would have thought that hearing some of the timelines of the organization in May, how we were able to get our numbers together for the bodies portion, the workers portion for the May session. I find that almost kind of strange not to have been brought to us in May. I’m sure there is a reason why it wouldn’t have been brought to Members for a full discussion...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess maybe my next stage is more a comment. I just find it very unusual. I am in favour of the expenditure. I’m in favour of the clinic. I’m in favour of it in almost every sense, except for the special warrant process. The special warrant process doesn’t provide me any comfort. Just looking and trying to understand some of the timelines and the fact that this wasn’t brought to the House, it feels like it kind of slipped under the radar before it was brought to Members. I don’t agree with arguing it on the principle of the costs. I think the principle I’m...

Thank you, Madam Chair. What were the timelines of acquisition of this particular space that was in the RFP? In the RFP, I suspect there would have been some type of timeline stated. If not, could I get some understanding? I assume no government would go out and RFP a space expecting to get it that afternoon after closing of the tender. What were the timelines? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just so I have my timelines correct, the approval from FMBS for the special warrant was signed, I guess in the official sense, for the $115,000 officially on August 22nd, which is a Sunday. Can I get clarification on that? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I’m going to seek clarification on a couple of things. I guess the first one is a concern that the territorial government went and pointed their finger and demanded that particular space. If I could have clarification from the Minister representing the government on this issue. Did this government, vis-à-vis whatever way they go about doing business, up and point at the space and say that they wanted this particular space? If you could supply some clarification on that issue, therefore, we can put that one to rest. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to talk about year-to-year and multiyear funding. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to talk about the fact that in June of 2002, a social agenda was tabled in this House, it’s Social Agenda: A Draft for People of the NWT. Some of the recommendations out of that talked about year-to-year funding and it was one of the primary key recommendations, as the way I see it.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a small quote from an open letter from then-Premier Kakfwi at the time. He mentioned in his letter: “The working group has worked hard over the last eight months...

Thank you. My colleague, Mr. Kevin Menicoche, MLA for Nahendeh. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I can’t speak with 100 percent certainty, but I don’t recall the words in the May/June session noting somewhere in the middle that thank you for approving this money and, by the way, we’re going to be asking for more money very quickly to make this happen. Maybe that was just foolishness on our part that we did not foresee that there would be additional costs or whatnot, but again, as I’ve said before, I could be mistaken on this particular part, but I don’t recall the Minister or anyone saying that a further submission specifically related to Legal Aid would come...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess again thinking through, the Minister said June and I guess it is kind of perplexing. Whereas we approved money for bodies in order to put new legal aid personnel out there, then at that time, why did we not approve a particular chunk of money for the office? It seems like we did one element while not foreseeing that the other element would be required; seeing that chances are we’d have to go out and do this process. So I think -- and the Minister I have no doubt will correct me -- the Minister did mention that the original submission went out in June, he had...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess my question would still stand because I don’t think it was answered. My question was when was the government anticipating to get acquisition of this property in order to operate out of and as I said earlier when the tender closed on the 27th, I suspect we didn’t anticipate to take it that afternoon. So when did the government anticipate or work towards with an RFP to close or actually take lease control of the space? Thank you, Madam Chair.