This is page numbers 15 - 38 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 7th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was nunavut.

Topics

Further Return To Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

O'Brien

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister responsible for the P3 projects. I am not quite sure who that is but, I believe it is Mr. Todd. I wonder if the Minister could update me as to what is the status of the P3 project as it relates to the Arviat Health Centre?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The tender of the RFP closed on that project three or four weeks ago. I believe that evaluating the two proponents that were brought forward, I am optimistic that we will be able to make a recommendation to the new government to proceed with this project, and of course will be subject to them whether they, in fact, agree to continue or not. Certainly, I am optimistic that within the next week to ten days we will be able to get a recommendation brought forward to proceed with the project in Arviat and get this health centre that has been outstanding for some time now completed. Thank you.

Return To Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Supplementary To Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

O'Brien

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Prior to Christmas there was a question as to, this question may not be relevant now but, there was a question as to the Interim Commissioner's Office had spending authority of only $400,000 and that we have to go back to Ottawa to have that looked into. Is that still relevant or is it not part of the equation now?

Supplementary To Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

John Todd Keewatin Central

Given that we are probably about two weeks away from a new government, I am not quite sure when you will be sworn in, but I do not think that it would be relevant. You will have full legislative and spending authorities in keeping with the budget that we set with the Interim Commissioner, Mr. Jack Anawak, at the time.

As I say, I am confident and optimistic that we will make a positive recommendation to proceed with this project and that Mr. O'Brien and others will then have to carry the case to the new government and make sure that we get it up and running this year. It certainly is my intent to try to get a decision and recommendation made as quickly as possible so that project can get under way and get the piles on the ground and get the project moving forward on the first sealift of this year, which is in early July. We can only make a recommendation and I am confident we will be able to do that within the next two weeks. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Question 7-13(7): Arviat Health Centre Project Status
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is addressed to my former seatmate and now Minister of Transportation. It is in regard to, in fact, the transportation strategy. In the past, the Minister and I have had numerous conversations about the need to move away from hugely expensive mega projects. They are impossible to fund, to try to come up with a more doable kind of strategy where the communities could possibly each start working at their end of the roads over the course of the winter and summer and so many kilometres a year. I would like to ask the Minister if, in fact, now that he is in a position to influence these kinds of decisions, whether he still has that kind of thought in his mind when it comes to the transportation strategy? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Can I ask the Member for Thebacha to rephrase his question. You can ask the Minister about the transportation policy that is under his department, but his thoughts on transportation I must rule out of order. Would you like to rephrase your question?

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will not make any reference to the Minister's thoughts or lack of them. I will ask the Minister, is transportation looking at an approach with their transportation strategy that will be more affordable that communities could start possibly working on advancing highways out of their communities towards each other or to connect with the existing highway? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 23

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As mentioned earlier, the highway strategy does look at a number of options that would be put forward and just to inform the Member that I do take this job very seriously about how things flow. We have had discussions previously on how this might unfold but as of yet we have not finalized the strategies. I have not been able to bring the options forward to my Cabinet colleagues but indeed, one of the things we hoped to come out for is a long term vision of how we can connect the north and the communities to one another that would reduce prices in all of the communities by a lot of money substantially. Thank you.

--Applause

Return To Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 23

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Supplementary To Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 23

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I applaud the work ethic of the Minister because I have worked beside him all these years and I know he is a real workhorse. I was not paid to say that either. Could the Minister indicate, given the advance stage of the transportation strategy, will there, in fact, be time to effect possible conclusions and recommendations that would reflect some of the things that he just mentioned in his previous response? Is there enough time left to, in fact, do that? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 23

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 23

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to inform the Member once we have finalized a strategy, a number of options, as I said earlier, will be presented to my colleagues in Cabinet and from there we will be able to select the best options to move forward with and consideration as a whole, the soon to be Western Territory, when we look at the road strategies. Once we have that finalized, we will be able to move forward and inform all the Members as to what option we selected are we are trying to move forward with. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 23

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Supplementary To Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 23

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister indicate when he anticipates this process will be concluded and the transportation strategy that will be there for committee consumption as well as Cabinet consideration? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 23

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 23

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the things with this highway strategy, there has not been an absolute time line, a deadline to meet. We are hoping that in the early new year, fiscal new year, we will be able to finalize the strategies and bring those forward. At that time, they will be able to go out to the committees for them to review and look at as well.

Further Return To Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Question 8-13(7): Affordable Transportation Strategies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 23

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. We had undertaken an Electoral Boundaries Commission that this Legislature had in 1998 and the results of that commission were rejected by this Assembly. That decision has since been challenged in the courts and a ruling has been issued. My question, Mr. Speaker, is, what is the government's position with respect to this ruling by the courts? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Premier, if you can respond on the government's position as opposed to a legal opinion.