This is page numbers 631 - 660 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 aboriginal.

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Further Return To Question 238-13(7): Mineral, Oil And Gas Development
Question 238-13(7): Mineral, Oil And Gas Development
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Supplementary To Question 238-13(7): Mineral, Oil And Gas Development
Question 238-13(7): Mineral, Oil And Gas Development
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. The formation of the committee is laudable. I am wondering if a time frame has been set for this committee to report back to Cabinet with some sort of proposal? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 238-13(7): Mineral, Oil And Gas Development
Question 238-13(7): Mineral, Oil And Gas Development
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 238-13(7): Mineral, Oil And Gas Development
Question 238-13(7): Mineral, Oil And Gas Development
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The group will be reporting to Cabinet perhaps early this fall on a preliminary basis with the work that we set out for them to do. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 238-13(7): Mineral, Oil And Gas Development
Question 238-13(7): Mineral, Oil And Gas Development
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Henry.

Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to Mr. Steen, the Minister responsible for Public

Works and Government Services, and is surrounding the questions that have been raised on the expression of interest for a correctional facility in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, unlike some of my colleagues, I could not sort of criticize it to the same degree. My question to the Minister is, who provided the analysis to the Minister that the present facilities of the Yellowknife Correctional Institute were better torn down and start off with a new facility? Who provided that information to the Minister? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Steen. I will ask the Minister of Public Works and Services if he can respond or to refer.

Return To Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not have the information specific to what the Member is requesting, as to exactly who approached the department specifically. The department was supplying the services to the client, the Department of Justice. That is the only information I can supply at this time. Thank you.

Return To Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Supplementary To Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I apologize to the Minister if my question was not clear. I will certainly try again. There was a decision made that it was cheaper to build a new facility. The Department of Public Works has a tender out for an expression of interest to build a new facility. My question is, who provided the department with the information to say that it was cheaper to build a new facility than to do repairs to the present one? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe this information was supplied by other Ministers during question period yesterday. There were consultations between the departments as to what was the cheapest way to do the project, but there was also a consultant involved who reviewed the whole project. I believe all this information was supplied yesterday, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 643

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Supplementary To Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the Minister could tell us the rationale for building a new facility when we have a facility such as the Laing Building, built in the same era with the same mechanical, electrical and insulation requirements. Why does it make more sense to build a new facility and, in the case of the Laing Building, decide to renovate it? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Question 239-13(7): Proposal For Correctional Centre Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

That is a new question. I must rule the question out of order. It is a new question. Would you like to rephrase your question, Mr. Henry? The Member for Yellowknife South was asking questions about a decision made by the Department of Public Works and Services regarding why the change. The new question does not relate to the original question. Would you like to rephrase your question? Oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question will be to the Premier. Did your government follow the proper decision-making process as well as informing the Ordinary Members of this Legislative Assembly on the major change of the scope of work of the Yellowknife Correctional Centre from renovating the building to building a brand spanking new building in Yellowknife? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Premier, Mr. Antoine.

Return To Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we followed all proper procedures in making the decision, honourable Members on the other side. We may have dropped the ball in informing the honourable Members immediately. We are all humans, we all make mistakes. If there is a problem with it, I would like to apologize for not informing the honourable Members as soon as the decision was made. We did try the best we can here, and we realize that perhaps we should have informed the Members as soon as we made the decision. It will not happen again. Thank you.

Return To Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Morin.

Supplementary To Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Normally a capital project is put in a five year capital plan within the budget. It is identified as renovations or a brand new building. It is just like apples and oranges. There is a big difference between the two. Through that process of putting things into the budget capital projects, there is opportunity for Members of the Legislative Assembly and the public at large to let their views be known to the government. The government then does not only have to take into consideration their briefing notes, and their studies and what the Minister of Justice brings forward, but they can also take into consideration what the people of the Northwest Territories think and the other elected Members of the Legislative Assembly.

Now the Premier has had the opportunity these last couple of days to hear a little bit through us what the public and what Members of the Legislative Assembly think. Yet he stands and says, decision made, what you are saying is irrelevant. Where in this process did the public have the opportunity to enter the debate, and where in this process did MLAs have the opportunity to enter this debate and give some advice, whether it is taken or not to this government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Mr. Antoine, two questions.

Further Return To Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are actually doing it right here. We are listening to the honourable Members. Yes, the decision has been made in the past. I explained already in this House earlier today that on the Yellowknife Correctional Centre, there was a decision made in the previous last couple of years, and even going back, to renovate the Yellowknife Correctional Centre. A decision was made. We agreed that we are going to spend a substantial amount of money to renovate it over a period of seven years. That decision was made. The decision was also made to move the young offenders centre to Yellowknife. That decision was made last year. There was plenty of time, opportunities for MLAs to get involved in the process. We are also doing it right here. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. I would like to remind the Members again, regarding question period, about your preamble and supplementary. When you do your supplementary, you do not need another preamble to do your supplementary. The Members are repeatedly doing that. I would also ask the Ministers' cooperation in being brief and direct regarding your response to the questions asked by Members. We are, at times, concentrating on a lengthy response or lengthy continued preambles. Can we have some cooperation here by requesting both sides to go by the rules of the House? I will apply it. Mr. Morin, supplementary.

Supplementary To Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Item 6: Oral Questions

July 26th, 1999

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A supplementary to the Premier. Mr. Speaker, the Premier kept talking about decisions made, decisions made, decisions made. Those decisions were made in isolation of each other. There was one decision made to move a young offenders facility to Yellowknife.

Supplementary To Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Question 240-13(7): Process For Capital Changes
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Morin, your supplementary, please.