I thank the DM for that detail. During some of the assertions about building above and beyond the National Building Code, I heard the phrase that we had met or beaten those objections by the Minister repeatedly. Would he be willing to share some of those examples here today?

I guess the next question is: Has Public Works investigated the process and certainly the cost required to meet or exceed that objective of 25 percent? Then, in consideration, they must extrapolate in the 40 percent that there will be significantly more costs. Has Public Works taken this into consideration in meeting and beating the National Building Code by 25 percent? Have any qualified opinions as to how stressful on our financial pocket it will be if we try to exceed it to 40 percent? Thank you.

I recognize that the more you exceed it in certain cases, you also decrease the operational cost. Is that type of analysis taken into effect on these energy observations? Would the deputy minister agree that it costs more to build a building the further we increase that percentage?

From the experience and expertise the deputy minister carries, is it likely that we could end up pricing ourselves out of the market of affordability if we continue to strive to 40 percent of the Building Code? Thank you.

Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Not necessarily. We do a cost analysis on a case-by-case basis to see what the addition of these improvements will be. If the cost exceeds the benefit or the cost benefit of doing it, then we wouldn’t necessarily go up to that standard. We don’t build to 40 percent. We build to achieving the 25 percent, but we have been working to go beyond that and we have gotten higher. As an example, the school in Inuvik. But we had to do the cost analysis on it to show that the benefit over time would pay for those improvements, and that’s what it showed and that’s what we did.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. One final supplementary question, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the last part. I see that the Minister has become a maven at construction. I would ask that any research or discussion paper on building standards be considered by all Members, not to take one Member’s enthusiasm behind this. I just want it confirmed that it would come to committee long before anything like this is considered.

When I was responding to Mr. Bromley, I would say that we would take it to committee. It would have to be

considered by everybody, reviewed by everybody. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that we report progress.

---Carried

I will now rise and report progress. I would like to ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the witnesses out of the House. Thank you.

Could I have the report of Committee of the Whole, please? Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 3-17(3), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2012-2013, and would like to report progress. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Is there a seconder to the motion? Mr. Bromley.

---Carried

Item 23, third reading of bills. Mr. Clerk, orders of the day.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until Tuesday, May 29, 2012, at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 6:09 p.m.