The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mr. Speaker, there was a petition, as the Member indicated in his Member’s statement, to myself from the students of Inuvik concerned about the closing down of the facility. Currently the status is that the facility is scheduled to close in August 2008. It was under the advisement of the Department of Public Works and Services due to safety concerns. Public Works and Services also manages the risk management and safety programs that assess the condition and safety of all GNWT assets and buildings. Due to that fact we’re in a situation at this point, but we are looking at other options as well.

I’d like to ask the Minister if it was an engineer’s report or a report done in-house as to the safety concerns. If so, would he be willing to share that report with myself?

The safety aspect of it was administered by Public Works and Services. There is a report being done on this particular facility, the building. It is a 1960s building. There are problems with the foundation, the structure itself. Public Works and Services would have the report, and I’m sure the Minister of Public Works and Services is willing to share it with the Member upon request.

I think I heard the Minister state that the report was being done. I’m confused. Is the report being done, or is the report that’s recommended the closure of the Learning Centre for safety reasons already completed?

The report is complete on the building itself.

Final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Needless to say, Inuvik is becoming quite concerned with the closure and demolition of all our facilities around the community. I’d like to

ask the Minister whose responsibility it is to find new facilities for the students that are using this facility right now. What’s to become of them?

Mr. Speaker, it does involve various parties to find the needs of the community, where they should be placed and so forth. We as the GNWT, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, continue to work closely with Public Works and Services on finding solutions to the situation we’re in. We’re also identifying another location — an Environment and Natural Resources office potentially. We are looking at all options, because the time is near. August is coming. We’re doing what we can as the Department of Education to find a suitable location for these students, because we want these students to continue learning. That’s one of our priorities that we’ll continue to push. Mahsi.

The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

The Minister for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mr. Speaker, we were just made aware that the Yukon government signed an MOU on the immigration nomination system program. As of last week, as soon as we heard the

news, our department’s been working closely with their government department on the MOU. So we are making progress in this area.

Our department staff has been continuously working with their staff. There have been various calls coming to our department, so we’re fully aware of what the Members are highlighting here today. We’re doing what we can, as the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, working with the Yukon government on what’s actually in agreement. It may be something similar that we’re working on.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the answer from the Minister, and I’m certainly glad to hear that the Yukon situation is now on our radar. I’m going to go in this direction with this problem, which is timing. Timing is an issue. I can speak of one business in particular that is closing, because they just cannot continue to work seven days a week without being able to find staff to work at their shop anymore. So timing is the issue.

Now that the Minister is aware of a possible framework program out there, will the Minister commit to working on this problem to see if we can get a person directed to this task and work on solving this problem by the end of summer?

Mr. Speaker, we did meet with several businesses here in Yellowknife that are dealing with these challenges at hand. Due to that fact, we did have somebody in the department committed to working on this particular piece of work. They are following through with this. Due to the request of the Member for timelines, we have to do what we can with the current system. We’re working with the federal government on the portal, as well. We do have agreements with them, and just continue the process of discussing with them, and at the same time, long-term arrangements on the actual MOU — Yukon’s MOU — that’s been signed off. We need to look at that as well, so that’s what we’re doing at the current stages.

Mr. Speaker, can I get a commitment from the Minister to provide me and potentially other Members of this House a briefing as to what work has been done to date and what milestones are put in place, as well as what possible hurdles they foresee that are stopping us from implementing this program before the end of summer?

Mr. Speaker, that was one of the goals of the department. There is a briefing that will be forthcoming to the committee, so they’re aware of what progress we’ve made. Certainly, we’ll be happy to present to the committee upon the completion of our session. We’ll be gathering all the information and we’ll certainly share that.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue to me, as the Minister knows. This is the second time I’ve raised this, and I want to stress this isn’t just important to me; it’s important to many employers in our city, as well as to our territory. I would ask the Minister that he take the commitment to communicate to the NWT Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, about his intention to move forward on this initiative. Therefore, if they want any feedback or concern, or at least just be included in the loop on this possible step by this department, I would encourage the Minister to commit to that, if he can.

Mr. Speaker, our

department will continue to consult with those individuals that are meeting these challenges. One of them will be the Chamber of Commerce and other organizations that are interested. Our department is willing to share that, upon our sharing that with the committee. Mahsi.

The Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Mr. Speaker, I want to continue in my line of questioning for the Minister of Health and Social Services. It gets back to the $11.5 million accrued deficit that is currently at play at Stanton Territorial Hospital. I find it very disturbing to hear the Minister’s comments that FMBS has been stepping in to assume responsibility for paying the payroll at Stanton.

Mr. Speaker, this $11.5 million doesn’t accrue overnight. It builds up over years. I’m wondering: what has the Minister done and what has the government done to address the deficit at Stanton Territorial Hospital?

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Mr. Speaker, I can advise the Member that the accumulated deficit at Stanton has occurred over the last two years. In the last fiscal year their deficit was $5 million, and this year we’re predicting it will be about $6 million — that’s over two years — so it hasn’t been accumulating over many, many years. The government has been taking progressive steps to get to the reasons why so that the actions taken are in line with the issues at hand. I think we should be mindful of the fact that the authority provides very important health care services, and actions we take have to take into consideration the people that work there and the services we provide. I can also tell the Member that there will be a supplementary appropriation bill coming to this House where it will include an item to

address the accumulated deficit not only for Stanton but for all hospitals in the Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I’m well aware that appropriation no. 4 is going to be before the House. I wanted to ask some questions today about the $11.5 million. I want to find out what the government’s plan is to address that $11.5 million. The Minister has said it herself: they do have a plan. I know what that plan is. I guess we’ll leave it for further on in this session, to discuss that $11.5 million in the government’s plan. I do agree with the Minister: the hospital does provide a valuable service to the residents in the territory. I’m not debating that. I’m debating the management. I want to address the accountability that is lacking. I want to ask the Minister: how long has FMBS been paying the payroll at Stanton Territorial Hospital?