Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have some questions with respect to the Yellowknife office space plan in relationship to a lease that was signed regarding the Lahm Ridge Tower. The chronology of this, Mr. Chairman, dates back to January 1997. Between January and August a variety of discussion papers were developed and various deputy ministers were briefed on the office plan. Then, in July the Yellowknife office space plan was agreed to by all deputy ministers. I feel it would be reasonable to suggest that some or all of the deputy ministers consulted their Ministers with regard to the office plan. My point being, with respect to a certain item, Mr. Chairman, is on August 1, 1997, the regional superintendent of Public Works and Services and the owner of the Lahm Ridge Tower, at that time, signed off a letter of intent to renew the lease. Through previous questions asked in this House, it was also known at that time that the previous owner intended to sell the building to new owners. On August 6, 1997, sorry, the letter stated, according to the information we have received, that the letter outlines detail under which the government was prepared to extend the lease. That was an item dated August 6th. On August 14th, Mr. Chairman, the Executive Council approved, in principle, the Yellowknife office space plan. Mr. Lovely stated on Friday that his Minister was never briefed on this, but, obviously, on August 14th his Minister was, for sure, briefed on this because that is when the Executive Council of this government gave approval in principle to it. The lease was not signed off at that point. It was only a letter of intent. Therefore, the Ministers were aware that the lease was to be signed and that lease was not signed until the end of September. Am I correct in my facts on that so far? Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 16th, 1998
Topics
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Now we can indulge in Lahm Ridge Tower. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 16th, 1998
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Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Yes.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister, would you repeat that please. Your microphone was off.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Yes, Mr. Chairman, the honourable Member is correct on the timing. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Ootes.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you. There was an opportunity, then, for Cabinet to discuss the potential sale and the extension of the lease to Lahm Ridge Tower because it was only a letter of intent that was signed. The lease documents were not signed. I have that right from a document prepared by the government. It said that the letter outline details under which government was prepared to extend the lease.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, when this document came before the Executive Council on August 14th for approval on the general Yellowknife office plan, it was what it was. It was the option for looking at the whole office plan requirements for the Government of the Northwest Territories. A discussion was never entered into about a private business building owner selling it to another private business. That was never part of the discussion that I was aware of. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Ootes.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Is the Minister stating that they put forward the office plan but the Lahm Ridge Tower was never discussed?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister, you will remember the question will you not? I would like to recognize Mrs. Groenewegen. I apologize. I should have recognized you first. Mrs. Groenewegen.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jane Groenewegen Hay River
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would like to draw to the committee's attention, I have a controlling interest in a company, Greenway Holdings Ltd., which leases office space to the gas and electrical inspector in Hay River. As this item deals with the specific issue of asset management and office leases, I would like to declare a conflict and withdraw from the debate. Please have the record note that I have just entered the House. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Your declaration of conflict of interest is noted. Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not know how much of the discussion which happened in Cabinet that I could speak about. The general office plan in Yellowknife dealt with a variety of existing leases we have in different buildings, not specifically dealing with Lahm Ridge Tower, which was one of the existing leases.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Ootes.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In Friday's unedited Hansard debates, the deputy minister at the end of a statement stated in regard to a lease extension, at no time did I talk to my Minister about the negotiations that were underway. My recollection is, I may have discussed it with him about a week after the event. Could the deputy minister explain his statement?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Mr. Lovely.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Lovely
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Minister of Public Works and Services signed the options' paper for the Yellowknife office space plan on July 31st. I briefed the Minister about a week later. Following the actual submission of the document, I briefed him in more detail. The event that was referred to was the signing of the letter of intent between Mr. Marceau and Mr. Dixon. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. I will allow you one more question. One of us pushed the wrong button. Mr. Ootes.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thought there were at least eight minutes left, however, I appreciate this. I want to get it clear in my mind, the deputy minister stated he referred, to the Minister, the letter of intent to sign the lease on July 31st. Was that correct? I did not quite understand what transpired. Could he repeat it for me?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Lovely.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Lovely
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The July 31st date is the date that the options' paper was actually submitted to Cabinet. I briefed the Minister on the office space plan a week later. It was about a week following the day the letter of intent was signed for renewal of the lease. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. We are reviewing activity asset management, operations and maintenance, total operations and maintenance, $42.577 million. I will recognize Mr. Steen.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would like to confirm the department has an agreement with the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk to handle their buildings in Tuktoyaktuk.