Robert C. McLeod

Legislative Assembly photo

Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was work.
Historical Information Robert C. McLeod is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly September 2019, as MLA for Inuvik Twin Lakes

Won his last election, in 2015, with 60% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole On Bills And Other Matters October 17th, 2005

Thank you, Madam Chair. When we first decided to go on this pre-budget consultation tour, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I figured we'd get into the communities, and people there would be just going on and on and complaining about everything under the sun. But we got there and I was quite surprised that they brought their issues to us. Each of them that came before us had specific issues that they wanted dealt with. It wasn't just one big complaint session. We appreciated that. They realized that we were just -- I keep saying "just" -- Regular MLAs and not there to promise them something that we weren't going to deliver, as we heard in a couple of cases about Ministers coming in and promising they were going to do something and then never seeing them again. That was a comment we heard, I believe it was up in Paulatuk. I found this tour very informative because a lot of times I concentrated on the issues that deal with Inuvik and had tunnel vision, that was about as far as I could see. Now if somebody in Paulatuk talks about, or if my colleague from Nunakput talks about an issue in Paulatuk, then I have a pretty good idea what he's talking about. The same as Mr. Lafferty bringing up something from Whati. We all had a chance to see some of the issues in the other ridings, which I found very informative. As I said before in my Member's statement, a lot of these issues throughout the Northwest Territories are pretty well the same in each community, and the one that really bothered us more than anything else was Rosie from Fort Good Hope and the state of her house, her elder's unit.

I found this a very informative tour and this is something that I look forward to doing every year. We have a lot of stuff that we have in the report. I'm sure Members on this side of the House will be relating back to this report and bringing them up steadily. With that, I just wanted to say that I found the tour, especially for myself as a newer Member, very informative and the chance to go out there and meet a lot of people. They appreciated having us there, they really did, and they said so, and they'd asked us to stay a little longer the next time.

With that, I just wanted to make a few comments on how I found the tour that was very informative and I think it will help all of us, especially myself, do my duty on this side of the House. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery October 16th, 2005

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my son, Ryan, and my wife, Judy, who are visiting from Inuvik. Mr. Speaker, six of the Pages in here today are from Inuvik. We have Kaylin Horassi, Angela Donley, Jessica Wilson, Alaska Edwards, Alyssa Ross, Hayley Rogers, and my constituency assistant and their chaperone, Meeka Kisoun. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Pre-budget Consultation October 16th, 2005

Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, while it is up to each community to look after their residents, this government should equip them with the resources they require.

I want to thank the residents of Inuvik and Paulatuk, Fort Good Hope and Whati for their hospitality and input into the consultation, and hope that we can spend more time in each community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Pre-budget Consultation October 16th, 2005

Mr. Speaker, while it is up to each community...I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Pre-budget Consultation October 16th, 2005

They plan on building a $41 million court house, and all Rosie wanted was new windows to keep warm. Shame on this government.

Pre-budget Consultation October 16th, 2005

...and hold us accountable for our actions, or lack of actions in some cases. Mr. Speaker, this was an excellent opportunity for Regular Members to see many of the issues facing the other MLAs in the ridings they represent.

The issues, Mr. Speaker, are the same across the NWT. Every community has concerns with housing, with health, with the road system, and education.

---Laughter

Many think that this is nothing new, but hearing it over and over again, proved that to the residents of the NWT, the government is still lacking in many important areas. Once the people realized that we were just Regular Members, and we sometimes share the same frustrations in trying to get commitments from the government, they began to speak of all the issues in their communities, hoping that a united voice will help their cause.

Mr. Speaker, the northern group, chaired by Chief Hawkeye, heard from residents in Inuvik, Paulatuk, Fort Good Hope and Whati. We listened to residents speak on the lack of progress on the pipeline, the need for regional treatment centres, transparency from the Housing Corporation on their programs, the location of an income support office in one school. One young lady said that people should work for what they get.

Mr. Speaker, we visited a senior's home in Fort Good Hope and met with an 84-year-old lady who, despite the warm weather, had to have a heater going to keep warm. All she wanted, and deserves, was a new window and main doors to help keep the cold out so she could stay warm. My colleagues and I left her residence quite upset that Housing and this government would allow this elder to live in these conditions.

Pre-budget Consultation October 16th, 2005

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As my colleagues said, earlier this fall we did go on a pre-budget consultation tour. This tour allowed us to visit communities in the northern and southern parts of the NWT, to hear what people had to say about what they think of where the government should be going.

I won't repeat, Mr. Speaker, where some thought we should go.

---Laughter

This was the first time that this was attempted, and we did not know what to expect. What we found, Mr. Speaker, was an informed and articulate public who pay very close attention to what we do in this Assembly...

Question 122-15(4): Government Position On Future Of Pipeline October 13th, 2005

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree with the Premier that this project is important to the valley. With all of these demands being made from all of the parties involved, is this holding up the talks with Ottawa on this resource revenue sharing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 122-15(4): Government Position On Future Of Pipeline October 13th, 2005

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Premier for that. Let me try another one. I know the Premier has been working hard trying to get all parties together here to get this thing going. Is there anything more that this government can be doing? Are we a serious player in some of these negotiations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 122-15(4): Government Position On Future Of Pipeline October 13th, 2005

Rephrase it? Okay. Let me try that again.

---Laughter

What is the GNWT's position on this? Does the GNWT believe that this could possibly hurt or kill the project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think I did it again.