Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education. It is in regards to the unresolved issue of financing for the construction of the Chief Julius School in Fort McPherson. Is there is a possibility that myself and the divisional board and the community of Fort McPherson can sit down to resolve this issue before the completion of construction?
Debates of Jan. 30th, 1997
Topics
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister responsible for Education, Culture, and Employment, Mr. Dent.
Return To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my opinion this issue is resolved. The department has an agreement with the divisional educational council for the funding. The department has worked with MACA and the community to try and find other alternatives, and I have informed the House earlier this week, we have not been able to find any alternatives. There is no other option that I can offer the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Return To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Supplementary To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, that is real helpful, especially when you have something unresolved, you usually try to sit down and resolve. So I would like to ask the Minister again, will he sit down with the divisional board of education in Inuvik to resolve this issue of construction of the school in Fort McPherson?
Supplementary To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Further Return To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the difference of opinion here is to whether or not the issue is resolved. The last conversation I had with the chair of the Beaufort Divisional Education Council gave me no reason to believe that the issue was not resolved. As far as I am aware, the education council agreed with the amount of money that we had put forward. That is why they signed off on the agreement stipulating the number of dollars available to replace the school in the community. Mr. Speaker, I am always available to meet with Members and to meet with divisional education councils. I want to make sure the Member does not get the impression we are going to be in a position to find more dollars for this school. We have looked, we have tried, they are not available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Supplementary To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If this issue was not raised by my constituents to raise it in this House, I would not be bringing it up, but it is a concern of my constituents. I do not believe that a community should have to go out of its way to find funds to develop infrastructure in those communities, which is the sole responsibility of this government. Will this government consider looking at the possibility of a supplementary appropriation if there is a need for over-expenditures on the construction of this school, in which have happened in the past in regard to capital expenditures which ran over the amount that was allocated?
Supplementary To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Further Return To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Mr. Speaker, the community made a choice knowing full well that choice was not going to be funded by this government. So I am afraid I have to answer the question by saying I would certainly not be recommending to FMBS that we consider a supplementary appropriation for that amount in this circumstance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Supplementary To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could I have the Minister of the department give me a listing of all cost overruns in previous constructions of schools in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 296
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Further Return To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 297
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that would be, I think, an excessive amount of work to expect. Those numbers would have been significant would be available to the Member and all Members of this House through previous supplementary appropriations. So, it is already a matter of public record and I do not think it is productive for me to commit staff to performing that service. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Question 182-13(4): Funding For The Construction Of The Fort Mcpherson School
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 297
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Henry.
Question 183-13(4): Community Economic Development Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 297
Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd. I recall in last year's budget address, the Minister identified $5,000,000 onto the community economic development program through Mr. Kakfwi's office. I note that in his comments he had stated that every cent of the program, Mr. Speaker, will be invested in our communities. This program was initiated to create long and short term jobs over the past couple of years, and in the next year. Yellowknife has lost substantial jobs, and we can certainly do with funds to help promote Yellowknife as a city and help replace some of the jobs that we have lost through downsizing and government lay offs. My question to the Minister is, will he consider a program this year of similar nature to help Yellowknife, which is the hub and which does pay substantial amounts of taxes and contributes to the NWT economy. Will the Minister consider a program such as this for Yellowknife in particular? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 183-13(4): Community Economic Development Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 297
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.
Return To Question 183-13(4): Community Economic Development Agreement
Question 183-13(4): Community Economic Development Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 297
John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have spoken at some length with my honourable colleague and other colleagues from Yellowknife and indicated some sympathy with the fact that even on a percentage wise, they are taking cuts similar to other constituencies, but numbers, there is a great deal more. We are open to any suggestions that come forward, provided they are affordable and make sense. So, I guess the answer would be we will not close the door to any proposals or suggestions that come forward from Yellowknife, Inuvik, Rankin, Iqaluit, wherever. Thank you.
Return To Question 183-13(4): Community Economic Development Agreement
Question 183-13(4): Community Economic Development Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 297
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions, Mr. Erasmus.
Question 184-13(4): Nunavut Infrastructure Operational Costs
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 297
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance. On Monday, January 27th, the honourable Member for Thebacha had questioned the Minister concerning infrastructure that is being put into Nunavut and there are some buildings that will be built prior to division The Member had wanted to know who will be paying for the O and M costs for those buildings. The Finance Minister had indicated, according to Hansard, the unedited version, that "the O and M costs have to come from the federal government, from what would fall on the incremental side". Mr. Speaker, I would like clarification whether the territorial government has to expend those funds first and then get reimbursed from the federal government, hopefully get reimbursed, or will the federal government be paying those O and M costs directly, or how will that happen? Thank you.
Question 184-13(4): Nunavut Infrastructure Operational Costs
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 297
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Todd.
Return To Question 184-13(4): Nunavut Infrastructure Operational Costs
Question 184-13(4): Nunavut Infrastructure Operational Costs
Item 6: Oral Questions
January 29th, 1997
Page 297
John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To be very frank with my honourable colleague, I do not have the direct answer to that question. However, it is part of and will be part of the discussions that will get under way in March in relationship to the bi-partisan committee that I talked about in response yesterday with respect to the fiscal frameworks for the two new territories. So, I think it is a legitimate question to be asked and it will be on the top of the agenda when we move with the officials committee some time in March to discuss the process, procedures, et cetera, with respect to formula financing and of course it will have to be discussed as it will be, what I call a pre-implementation expenditure, and I think I would say, unless I am told otherwise, that if it is a pre-implementation expenditure and it is new infrastructure that is funded by the federal government, my inclination would be that they would have to pay their own end. But again, those discussion will get under way in March and we are going to keep everybody up to date on these discussion as we move forward with them. Thank you.
Return To Question 184-13(4): Nunavut Infrastructure Operational Costs
Question 184-13(4): Nunavut Infrastructure Operational Costs
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 297
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions, supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.
Supplementary To Question 184-13(4): Nunavut Infrastructure Operational Costs
Question 184-13(4): Nunavut Infrastructure Operational Costs
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 297
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have indicated in the past, the Nunavut government should be designed and implemented by the people of Nunavut, however, their government should not affect the level of programs and services in the western NWT. I would hope that we would be informed as soon as possible as to how the federal government plans to deal with this. Can I get a commitment from the Finance Minister that we are informed as soon as possible? Thank you.