MLA apologizes following suspension
Hawkins withdraws accusations against deputy ministers
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, February 26, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins apologized Monday for accusing several deputy ministers of illegally transferring funds after getting kicked out of the legislative assembly last week.
Hawkins was asked by Speaker Jackie Jacobson on Friday to apologize and withdraw his remarks after Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger raised a point of order against him during a discussion on vacant GNWT jobs two weeks ago.
Hawkins refused and was subsequently asked by Jacobson to leave the assembly for the remainder of the day for disrespecting "the authority of the chair (Jacobson)."
At the time Hawkins argued he could not apologize because he had to stand up for what he believed in.
"I'm fighting for the fair and honest opportunities for Northerners," he said in the assembly on Friday.
After being suspended, Hawkins also took to Facebook to defend his comments. As of Tuesday his comments were still there.
On Monday, Hawkins delivered a brief statement explaining his change of heart.
"Upon further personal reflection this weekend, I decided that I wanted to specifically withdraw certain remarks I made on Feb. 12," Hawkins said.
He added that he wished to have comments which called the deputy ministers' activity "tantamount, in my view, of breaking the law" stricken from the record.
"I do this because, in my view, recognizing the dignity of this house, it is certainly the right thing to do and also because I'd like to move forward as we work on the job of the budget before us," said Hawkins.
If Hawkins had refused to apologize on Monday he would have been allowed to return to the assembly.
However, MLAs could have introduced a motion to have him suspended for an extended period of time.
