Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm going to seek clarification on a couple of things. I guess the first one is a concern that the territorial government went and pointed their finger and demanded that particular space. If I could have clarification from the Minister representing the government on this issue. Did this government, vis-...-vis whatever way they go about doing business, up and point at the space and say that they wanted this particular space? If you could supply some clarification on that issue, therefore, we can put that one to rest. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you Mr. Hawkins. Mr Dent.

Thank you, Madam Chair. No, I'm told that the government did not select that space, it was proposed by the developer.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. For my benefit, could the Minister go through significant timelines again, I stress again, the day of the issue of the RFP, the day the RFP closed, the day the RFPs were evaluated and then they decided to enter into the next step? Can I get those timeline dates, please, Madam Chair?

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Madam Chair. In May I went to the FMB with two parts to a submission; one for the operations and maintenance of the Legal Services Board clinic in the amount of $266,000, and I asked at that time for fit-up costs as well. The FMB asked my department to do more work with Public Works to refine the fit-up costs, the capital costs. So we came back to FMB on August 22nd, or it was approved on August 22nd; it would have been submitted some weeks before that. So the space was advertised, on August 9, 2004, and the close of that request for proposals was August 27th. So the decision on August 22nd was to approve the funds so that they would be available, so that we could enter into a contract on receipt of the final proposals. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just so I have my timelines correct, the approval from FMBS for the special warrant was signed, I guess in the official sense, for the $115,000 officially on August 22nd, which is a Sunday. Can I get clarification on that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Madam Chair. August 22nd was the date the Commissioner signed and dated the special warrant.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. You know I would consider myself relatively new to this process, and find it quite unusual that we would have a special warrant issued for the closing of the RFP and whatnot. Is this a normal practice, considering even on the 27th we don't know who is responding to this particular tender and whatnot? If I understand, the closing date is August 27th, and the FMB approval, I should say the final approval by the Commissioner -- let me say it that way -- was on the 22nd, six days before the closing. It may be possibly even the official evaluation. Is this considered a normal process that we approve? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Yes, it's usual to make sure that you have the authority for an expenditure before you are in a position to have to sign a contract to spend the money.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. What were the timelines of acquisition of this particular space that was in the RFP? In the RFP, I suspect there would have been some type of timeline stated. If not, could I get some understanding? I assume no government would go out and RFP a space expecting to get it that afternoon after closing of the tender. What were the timelines? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The amounts for this, including the $266,000, by the way, were based on estimates for the cost of operation. So the $266,000 that was approved in June in the supplementary appropriation was an estimate of the cost to operate the clinic for this year. The ongoing amounts that we are putting in through the business plan are estimates because we haven't actually set up the office. The same is true for the cost to do the tenant improvements; that is entirely an estimate based on the cost per square foot that Public Works is finding that we spend on fitting up space in Yellowknife right now.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess my question would still stand because I don't think it was answered. My question was when was the government anticipating to get acquisition of this property in order to operate out of and as I said earlier when the tender closed on the 27th, I suspect we didn't anticipate to take it that afternoon. So when did the government anticipate or work towards with an RFP to close or actually take lease control of the space? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, Members may remember that in the June session when asked that question, I had advised this House that we were aiming for October 1st as the opening day for the clinic.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Hawkins.