I have a question on the demolition of the current structure where the planned office is being contemplated. I was wondering if there was some money put into the capital plan for, I believe, this fiscal year. I was wondering if the department could advise when the demolition will be completed and the land will be ready for a new structure to be put on it.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Aumond.

Okay. Following up on questions from other MLAs, I know there was indication that because of the nature of the way the office space in Inuvik is spread out around the community,

although there may be a 7 per cent vacancy rate, there are small pockets all over the community. I was wondering what the opposition to actually doing a market evaluation would be.

I know that if we support a small business under some of our small business programs, even a person who owns a small business could have a lot less of an impact on something like this. That person is actually going into an area where there’s already a private market providing that service, and the government generally doesn’t support or often doesn’t support a small business in getting started. That’s the market disruption policy. I’m not one hundred per cent sure, but I believe the market disruption policy is something that’s housed in ITI.

I’m wondering what the reluctance, I suppose it would be, on the part of the government would be to actually do a market disruption evaluation of the potential landlords in Inuvik and how they would be impacted if this amount of office space were brought into the community.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll refer that to the Minister of Public Works and Services.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Minister Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We don’t see any potential for market disruption in this case. There is very little vacant space. It’s not the same as the comparison that was made with Yellowknife, where there is vacant space, and in order to undertake a project of this nature, we would be disrupting the market by not providing opportunity for the proponents that had space. In this case we have a number of buildings we’re housing our employees in, some with structural problems; for example, the Perry Building that was referenced. There is limited occupancy there. The landlord has discontinued maintenance on this building, and we’re facing potential eviction. There are other facilities that are located in inadequate space, which I mentioned earlier.

We don’t see the market disruption as an issue, because there are really virtually no other accommodations we can utilize. We have had these discussions, as I mentioned earlier, with other developers and have given them the reassurance that we will continue to lease and rent the same amount of space we currently do. I don’t see how we can be disrupting the market.

If market disruption is not an issue and the MLAs on this side of the House are indicating that there could be other priorities that we see because market disruption may be — from that

type of evaluation — something that’s missing from this piece of the puzzle, would it be possible for the government to provide some comfort to the MLAs indicating that there is no market disruption? Maybe by getting the individual rental office space sector from Inuvik to indicate that this would not be an issue. I’m wondering if something like that could be easily attained.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll refer that to the Minister of Public Works and Services, Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Minister Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think it’s relatively easy to decide if there’s a market disruption. There is, first of all, no current space available in Inuvik, and for the second reason, we are planning to accommodate people who we are currently housing in our own facilities that are not up to the standards that are spelled out. Most of our buildings, including the Perry Building, which we need to be out of, do not have barrier free access, do not meet GNWT office space standards. They are not energy efficient; they do not promote environmental sustainability; they have air problems. We can’t allow our employees to work in that environment.

I was wondering if the government or the Department of Public Works has done a technical evaluation on the GNWT-owned office space that would be vacated to move into the new office space.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll refer that question to Mr. Aumond.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Mr. Aumond.

Thank you, Mr. Aumond. Next on my list is Mr. Jacobson.

Mr. Chair, in hearing the Minister regarding the quality for staffing issues in the Beaufort-Delta and Inuvik…. On October 6 I made my Member’s statement regarding staffing, having to share a bathroom in Mangilaluk School, eating lunches in the hallways. Where does that come into play? I’m in support of the building, but the market disruption I’m starting to hear about more and more. I really think it should be looked at.

You’ve got private businesses in Inuvik relying on us. The Minister stated that there is going to be no market disruption; I think that should be relooked at. There is no equality in regard to what we’re dealing with in the small communities. You have communities that are, you could almost say, giving up on our government. They should be really looked at before we go into a community or a town the size of Inuvik — talk to the local businesses and give them that chance and opportunity to speak to us.

Just to let everybody on the other side know, I am in support of the building. But we have to make sure the businesses that do own the buildings in the community of Inuvik are taken a look at before we do anything like that.

Then again I go back to my Member’s statement: where do we get on the list for this? It’s going to be an uphill battle for me to try to get an extension put on Mangilaluk School, which we really need. The school in Inuvik, while I am in support of it, I guess I have to go there with a truck and try to take all the excess, anything left over, to get anything done — take the crumbs.

That’s how it looks to me right now. The communities are left in the dark again. Four years and we’re not going to receive anything. I always say: thank God for the Building Canada Fund. While I am in support of the Inuvik school and I am in support of the building, we should defer in regard to making sure that businesses in Inuvik are taken care of first before we make this decision.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. I didn’t hear a question there, but I’ll go to the Minister for a response.

Mr. Chairman, just for some more background. We handed out earlier today to all the Members.... They should have hopefully received it by now. We managed to get all

the housing numbers and MACA money, and we’ve redone the funds being allocated by constituency to the Members so that it’s comprehensive. If you haven’t gotten that yet, you will be getting it. The numbers paint somewhat of a different picture. For example, Nunakput is now up to about $34 million over four years.

On the issue of the office building, I appreciate the Member’s comments. Minister McLeod has made the case of why that’s a necessary project.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Next on my list is Mr. Yakeleya.