Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Ootes.
Debates of March 28th, 2000
This is page numbers 345 - 390 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 2nd 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
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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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Our expenditure this year on the digital communications network is approximately $1.5 million.
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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Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you. So this is an ongoing $1.5 million per year, roughly. I am wondering if the Minister can tell me how much money we have sunk into this project since the onset of the project, in both capital and operations and maintenance? The total bill to date.
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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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have supported it for approximately three years. The first two years, it was approximately $2 million. This year it is approximately $1.5 million.
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
March 28th, 2000
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Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you. Is that a grand total of $3.5 million or a grand total of $5 million?
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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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is a total of $5.5 million. That included Nunavut for the first two years, of course, before division.
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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Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am wondering if the Minister can tell me if he is satisfied with the state of distance learning in the North and satisfied with the performance we are getting out of our $5.5 million?
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 Paul Delorey
Mr. Bell, that is asking an opinion. Maybe you would like to rephrase your question.
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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Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We spent $5.5 million on this initiative. I am wondering if the money has been spent effectively and efficiently. I am wondering If we have received our money's worth out of the project.
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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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have to mention that the digital communications network is not only used for the delivery of programs, but also used by libraries, schools and colleges. They are all connected. There are eight income support delivery offices using this as well.
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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Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would suggest, in the department's words, we are essentially an anchor tenant. It is important that this project be working for this department.
Whether there are other departments using it, and certainly there are, Telehealth and other applications the Minister has mentioned, but I would suggest we have heard that there are some problems, especially with bandwidth. We know we spent $5.5 million. I am wondering if the Minister can tell me what kind of programs we are offering in distance learning? What are the communities now able to tap into as a result of our $5.5 million?
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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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you. We have offered a pilot project for Northern Studies 10, and it was initiated out of Norman Wells to various communities. We do need, and feel it is timely, to expand the program and expand the high school offerings. As well, schools are using the DCN to access the Internet. 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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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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Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you. The Minister said he feels it is time to expand the program. I am wondering if the Minister can lay out his plan for expansion of this program for us and tell us what that entails. Does it entail purchasing more bandwidth? Does it entail hiring the expertise to be able to take advantage of this? What is the Minister proposing to do to expand the program and what will it cost?
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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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we are surveying school districts on this. We anticipate that we can be offering additional programs by the fall. 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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