Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman I would like to receive a bit more information about the project that has been put forward under land and buildings, North Slave Region, Yellowknife, office renovations, various. The interim appropriation amount is $445,000 for design and tendering costs for ventilation, air-conditioning and elevator replacement before July 31st, 2000.
This particular issue has had much debate over the years. As a Member of the 13th Assembly, I know it was an item that was overlooked and looked over and under a number of times.
I think that on one hand, it was proposed that the government get out of owning buildings because they were seen as a cost side of maintenance and so on. Whereas if it were a private sector facility, all the costs would be included within the lease.
With that, can the Minister inform us if what I see here is actual work going ahead on this facility? Again, knowing there was a lot of discussion in previous Assemblies, going back to the 1999-2000 main estimates under assets, management, details of capital, there is no mention in that budget of any work being done on the Laing building or planning dollars.
By going through the interim appropriation, have we stepped around some of the work that would have gone on in the business planning cycle? I would just like further clarification, Mr. Chairman.