This is page numbers 551 - 577 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 chairman.

Topics

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

To my knowledge, in one way or another, in varying degrees, as the Member accommodated, yes. They are accommodated in units scattered across the community in various stages of disrepair and various stages of age.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Thank you. Further questions, Mr. Henry.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can the Minister just tie in this $4 million? Is this going to be an annual thing? What is going to happen to the units that are presently being used to house the students that attend Thebacha? Thank you.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Two questions there for you, Mr. Minister.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is a P3 project, the process that has been discussed and reviewed with all Members. These are initial construction costs. There is going to be, as part of this process as there will be with other P3 projects, an arrangement negotiated and entered into with the successful bidder to construct and maintain these facilities in return for the lease payments over the longer term. This is the initial capital investment. It is not going to be an ongoing cost. Like all other P3 projects, once the details of the lease are negotiated, they will be able to budget for those as we have requested that departments do. Thank you.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Further questions? Mr. Henry.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

May 12th, 1999

Page 573

Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Minister's comments require a little more clarification. Could the Minister just tell me what the total cost of the project is to provide these units? I take it that it is more than $4 million but could the Minster just tell me first of all what is the total cost of these proposed units? Thank you.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Mr. Minister.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The estimated project scope is $4 million. This is what has been referred to by the finance people as an off-balance sheet expenditure. There is no initial capital outlay on part of the department. Our cost comes in the yearly lease payments. I recollect very clearly we asked every department in the social program to have a page that identified P3 so we would know what the cost is. That is what it is, but it is not a cost to the government at this point. Thank you.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Thank you, Mr. Henry.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think that is the type of information that the public needs to know, that these are not, and both cases are not, expenditures of the government. They will be financed by private developers, but the government will assume, under the P3 initiative, the cost to finance these over a period of time, if the Minister would clarify the accuracy of that. Thank you.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I could just read the second sentence of the heading on that particular page, 9-24, under the P3 approach, a private developer constructs a facility to meet the government's functional program requirements and the government enters into an operating lease for use of the facility. Possibly that could be elaborated on to indicate its off-balance sheet expenditure and such. I believe that is the nub of this approach. Thank you.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Further questions on page 9-24. Mr. Erasmus.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Further to Mr. Henry's questions and also to the original questions that I had asked the Minister. The Minister had indicated that with this P3 project which would be, I guess, to consolidate some aged and dilapidated housing, that the needs for the student body at Thebacha Campus would be sufficiently met, but he also indicated that the housing that is provided in Yellowknife is not sufficient to meet the needs of the students. I would like to ask the Minister if he would consider a similar off-balance sheet to P3 projects for Yellowknife so that we would have adequate housing to meet the needs of the student body here. Thank you.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is an issue as the government looks at, in fact, how well this P3 process has worked as they do their evaluation and they look at deciding whether they are going to continue with the P3 approach. Further requests and projects will be brought forward of which there are many. The situation in Yellowknife with the College campus did as referred by my honourable colleague of course will be on that list. From what I recollect, the College with the Thebacha Campus Proposal, pull together a fairly effective and tight proposal that received approval. I will commit that once we are clear on how we are going to look at this as a government and a Legislature that yes, it will be on the list for consideration. Thank you.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 573

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Further questions. No further questions, we will carry on. Page 9-25, active positions. This is an information item. Page 9-26, information item, student loan revolving fund. Any questions? Page 9-27, information item, detail of funding allocated to educational bodies. No further questions. Page 9-29, information item, college funding allocation. No further

questions. Page 9-30. Mr. Erasmus.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 574

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I remember correctly, the money that had gone down in Student Financial Assistance was as a result of less program money for the college. Is there an indication that this funding and, of course with the third party funding that comes from other governments and from private industry, would there be more programs this year than there were last year in the colleges?

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 574

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Mr. Minister.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 574

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I can just specify for the Member that under colleges, there is an addition of $43,000 for forced growth and utilities, $1.0 million roughly for new job evaluations and adjustments. Now that we have passed the Community Strategies for Work, there will be some funding that was initially sunsetted that will be put back into the college. It is about $.5 million less than was in the budget under Northern Employment Strategy from last year, but there will be some funds to offset that. Pre-employment training is for $265,000, diamond training, $265,000. There is a transfer of $30,000 from other operations and maintenance from ABE and Literacy and $750,000 for enhanced training for health and social work professionals. Thank you.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 574

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Thank you, Mr. Minister. This is an information item. We are on page 9-29. Questions? Mr. Erasmus.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 574

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank Mr. Minister for that information. Could he indicate whether there will be the same amount of programs being offered in the colleges as there were last year, courses, I should say? If not, could he indicate where there would be less courses being offered?

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 574

The Chair

The Chair Jake Ootes

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Mr. Minister.

Committee Motion 30-13(7): To Provide Funding For The Community Skills For Work Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 574

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The base funding, as I have indicated to the Member has been increased somewhat. The one issue that we are not certain of for the coming year is the third party funding where outside agencies and possibly governments or groups paid to have courses. The base funding for the college is there and the third party funding side is where we are not clear on at this point. Thank you.