Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to make a point of saying that we do have three campuses in the Northwest Territories right now, and before looking at planning to build a new, big
infrastructure, that we look at how we can utilize all three campuses.
I have brought it up here before and have brought it in terms of operations budget in terms of the programs offered in Inuvik. We have a great campus. We have the Aurora Research Institute there. We have great partnerships with the universities to do work up in that region, and that I don’t feel that throwing more money at a planning study when we are not even utilizing all three campuses in the Northwest Territories efficiently right now is definitely putting the cart before the horse in this area.
If Yellowknife Campus is being overflowed or filled to capacity right now, then let’s look at Inuvik. Let’s put more programs up in Inuvik; let’s put some programs at Fort Smith and spread the wealth throughout the Northwest Territories. Just because the programs here in Yellowknife are being filled to capacity doesn’t mean that we have to build a new big building.
I know that, as I said, in Inuvik we have a really great facility and it is not being fully utilized. This is a great opportunity, and I thank Mr. Hawkins for bringing this motion so I can bring this to the floor, so we can start putting some of these programs that are in Yellowknife, into Inuvik.
Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I cannot support this motion, with the fact that this government does have only so many dollars to move forward, and with all the great buildings we have throughout the Northwest Territories, let’s utilize the buildings that we do have and start getting our people educated elsewhere outside. It doesn’t have to be the capital, but let’s utilize our buildings and stop wasting taxpayers’ dollars when we have buildings out there that can be used.
I won’t be in favour of this motion. I know it is something that needs to come down the pipe eventually, but I will not be supporting the motion going forward, knowing full well that we have a great facility in Inuvik. Thank you, Mr. Chair.