This is page numbers 65 - 98 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 1st 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 community.

Topics

Return To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to, first of all, thank the Member and yourself for the invitation to visit Hay River facilities. I had a well programmed, productive visit to Hay River a couple of weeks ago. Yes, I did visit the facility. With respect to the capital program, Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that project was in the books as a renovation project in the last budget for 2008 and 2009. Since then, with the work of the public administrator, there is a need to look at that as more of a new capital project. That is what is in the works. We are going through the capital planning process, so there has been a change to the nature of that project, but it is not defined yet. It is in flux stage yet and we are reviewing all of the capital projects as a Cabinet, I believe, in the days coming. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Okay, I am not liking that word flux stage, Mr. Speaker. We had a $14 million capital commitment from this government for either the renovation or replacement of the hospital in Hay River. Has the decision definitely been made that we are talking about a replacement versus a renovation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess a flux is not a good word in the capital planning process. I am sorry. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that project was in the books as a renovation project. It is moving toward being a new facility just because some parts of that building are about 40 years old and other parts are about 30 years old. There is a review being done as to whether or not it is more economical to make it into a new capital building or renovate. I think the information I am getting is that we

are moving towards it being a new capital project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, that helps. So we are leaning away from renovation towards a new facility. Is our $14 million still there as at least a starting point? If we change it from a renovation to a replacement, where do we go in the capital plan? Do we go back to the drawing board? Do we go back to square one or do we still have that capital carry-over of $14 million at least as a base start? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the project is reviewed as either a renovation or a new capital project, the cost-benefit analysis changes because you have to look at the lifetime cost and such. Anyway, Mr. Speaker, let me just make a commitment with the Members to give her and yourself more information about where it is at. I just don’t have that detailed information that the Member is asking for just now. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Might I say that I will not be very happy if we are going back into the line-up for capital projects, not considering that we are talking about Fort Smith, Yellowknife and all of these competing interests for capital dollars. I want to make sure that Hay River stays at the front of the line on this. I would like to ask the Minister’s commitment on that. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will make my commitment to work my best to make sure that it doesn’t stay on the back of the line. I just don’t know exactly what part of the front line it is at. I will provide the information to the Member. I just can’t remember which year it is at. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 44-16(1): H.h. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am kind of feeling like the late Rodney Dangerfield and not getting much satisfaction.

---Laughter

I am going to try again. I have questions for the Minister of Transportation. With the P3 project, obviously the government and the Department of Transportation have put a lot of time, effort and resources into the pursuit of the Deh Cho Bridge project and the process. Meanwhile, I am seeing other projects in the territory such as the city of Yellowknife Kam Lake bypass. We have the Tuk access road as well as the Kakisa Bridge. Other projects are being left out or not deserving of the attention that they need and require. I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation if he could provide the House with a detailed accounting of what the department has spent in terms of our resources and manpower on pursuing the Deh Cho Bridge project at the detriment of other projects around the territory, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.

Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

Sahtu

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Minister of Transportation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for the question. Mr. Speaker, the Deh Cho Bridge is a P3 project. It doesn’t come out of any other source of funding that I know of in terms of how we spend our time and energy on this project here. He referenced the example of the Yellowknife bypass. That is coming out. If it is the project that this government feels is a priority, it will come out of other sources of funding offered up by the Building Canada funding.

Mr. Speaker, the resources in terms of our government putting energy and effort in is done by the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation’s representatives in terms of the exact counting. I will have to get back to him in terms of the amount he is asking for. I don’t have it at my fingertips right now. However, the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, Mr. Speaker, is an example of how innovative approaches to look at projects, key infrastructures right down the Mackenzie Valley. This is one project that we know we have to look at in terms of building transportation infrastructure in the Northwest Territories. Fortunately, we had to see this as an opportunity that we see a high volume of traffic coming through the Mackenzie crossing. This is an opportunity that we could benefit the people in the North. Thank you.

Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The time for question period has expired; however, I will allow the Member a short supplementary. Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. From where I sit, Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that the department has spent a lot of time and effort on the Deh Cho Bridge project and we talked about the Kam Lake access road, the city of Yellowknife bypass road and the Building Canada Fund. Where exactly is that road? I stood up in this House for four years asking about the Kam Lake access road. We are spending our time and effort on the Deh Cho Bridge and we are not spending enough effort in other areas of the territory, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister -- he brought it up -- where exactly is the Kam Lake bypass road on this government’s agenda, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

Sahtu

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Minister of Transportation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am working very closely with Minister McLeod. He is the lead Minister on infrastructure funding under the Canada build fund. I will bring that up with the Minister in terms of the issue of the Yellowknife bypass road, in terms of many other infrastructures that we wanted, balancing investment down the Mackenzie Valley in terms of these specific priorities. I will bring the issue of the amount of energy and resources that we have spent on this department on the Deh Cho Bridge by my department in terms of this issue here. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Short supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister talks about the Building Canada Fund. I would like to ask the Minister today what projects are included on that list of Building Canada Fund? Is the Yellowknife bypass road on that list, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

Sahtu

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Minister of Transportation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have heard in my month as the Minister of Transportation from Members from across the House here, Members from this side here. We have many competing priorities. There is no final list right now. I can tell you that I am looking at investments down the Mackenzie Valley. There is no list right now that is finalized and we can present to you. I will be working with the Minister, lead in infrastructure. I will be working with Ministers on this side. I will be working with Members of the Legislative Assembly here in terms of having a final list.