Courts, not previously authorized, $395,000.
Debates of March 9th, 2007
This is page numbers 1381 - 1424 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 5th 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 going.
Topics
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
The Chair Calvin Pokiak
Page 12, NWT Housing Corporation, operation expenditures, NWT Housing Corporation, not previously authorized, -$38.139 million.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
The Chair Calvin Pokiak
Page 13, Education, Culture and Employment, operation expenditures, education and culture, not previously authorized, -$43,000. Mr. Braden.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Bill Braden Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This again is another project that I wanted to cover off in respect of how we're I believe presented with a project at a certain expense and a certain scope and then as the project evolves or develops it changes considerably in nature and increases considerably in cost. Even though the actual dollar amount that we're dealing with here, Mr. Chairman, is a negative, sorry, $153,000? Negative $153,000? Okay, $43,000. Thank you. The actual scope of the project looks a little bit like this according to the information we're provided with, and this is to upgrade the existing firefighting water supply at William McDonald School here in Yellowknife, where to comply with new requirements or something of that nature a plan was submitted for $240,000 in this current year, but we now learn that the scope of the project has expanded considerably, almost five times, and the new estimate for the cost of this water supply upgrade will be $1.14 million. So from $240,000 opening estimate we are now at a project that costs $1.14 million.
This is the kind of thing exactly, Mr. Chairman, that I draw attention to. Why is it that something seemingly of a relatively straightforward nature is not thoroughly checked against the standards and the requirements of officials or offices like the fire marshal and we're given, like I say, something that is just totally unacceptable when it comes to what we're told is required in terms of the need and the cost and then later on it just, as in this case here, which is extraordinary, is something that is approaching almost five times the original cost.
And we're still not through because the bulk of the new money, $1.14 million, Mr. Chairman, I think has already been approved in the main budget that we just passed yesterday. So maybe the Minister has some detail that could enlighten me or tell me where I'm not seeing this the right way, but again another project that starts in one place and ends up in a lot different place, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I think through all departments and even the Department of Public Works and Services if we once established a number and that number never changed that would be even better. But what we do find from time to time, whether once a project is approved and voted on in this House, either departments themselves request a change in scope of the project, which ultimately has a change in the total value of the project, occurs from time to time. As well, in this case, as the Member pointed out, the office of the Fire Marshal has got involved and we've gone from one facility to fixing two facilities under the same project heading and that's why it's such a substantial increase. Again, because of the involvement of the fire marshal, initially it was felt we could do this in one project at a time, but we're told because of the existing condition of the mains, water mains I believe, that it had to be done at the same time.
So that's why the scope of this work is substantially changed. It is now two facilities, two schools that fall under this one heading. Thank you.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1418
Bill Braden Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not going to argue about the validity or the need to do the actual work that we now have before us. Mr. Chair, where the frustration is, is in not knowing about how many other project proposals or requests before us are going to be of a similar nature. We are told and requested one thing, but things happen and it changes. We have a lot of different programs and things to manage here, and I just don't feel
that I have the discretion or the scope to continue to accept projects that end up being much larger and of a different scale than originally presented. This is where my reliance is on our experts, engineers, planners and designers to do the work thoroughly and bring a complete and thorough estimate on project descriptions to me for approval. Again, I bring this to the attention of the committee and the Assembly because of this deficiency.
Mr. Chair, I have one more question related to this project. Again, I think we are talking about the installation of a tangible asset, but yet it is booked under operations. Could the Minister offer an explanation as to why this isn't funded and financed through our capital project rather than out of operating dollars? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1419
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1419
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I don't think I can give an accurate response to you. The only thing I can think of similar to municipalities is, if this is an asset that falls not within the Government of the Northwest Territories but it becomes the property of the board and that would be YK 1 I understand, but the Minister of Education may have more information on that, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1419
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1419
Charles Dent Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, the Government of the Northwest Territories does not own William McDonald. It is owned by YK 1, so capital improvements to YK 1 are shown as an operating grant.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1419
The Chair Calvin Pokiak
Thank you, Mr. Dent. Thank you, Mr. Braden. We are on page 13, Education, Culture and Employment operation expenditures, education and culture not previously authorized, negative $43,000.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1419
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1419
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1419
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 51-15(5): To Delete $682,000 From Human Resources, Operations Expenditures In Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2006-2007, Defeated
Revert To Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1419