Charles Dent

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The rates that are established by the WCB are entirely based on actuarial studies of the numbers of accidents, and the cost of those accidents, to each of the rate categories. So if those are the being established, it's to ensure that there is no cross-subsidization between one sector and another in the business. I know that the WCB has been quite vigilant at making sure that their accident fund is fully funded, so that there won't be any surprises for employers. I think that they are looking at ways that they can ensure the stability of the funding. But changes...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In advance of us having somebody there, I can’t make any other commitments. We will ensure that we are dealing with the situation if there is a significant problem. I would also mention that my reading of the letter from the chair of the DEC is that they want to make sure that this project doesn’t fall down the list of urgent projects again. It would be my goal to make sure that that doesn’t happen, too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can only assume that the reason for that would be that the Worker's Compensation Governance Council sees the stakeholders in that operation as labour and employers, and those are the groups that have been consulted. I know that I have talked to the chair, and have invited him to make a presentation to the standing committee here, so they can discuss the issue of the construction of a new facility. Thank you.

I am aware of the community’s interest. I have been in the community. I have seen the school. I have received a letter, as the Member pointed out, from the chair of the divisional education council, on the issue. We are prepared to have staff visit the community to discuss the issues with the community, and to move as quickly as we can to provide the additional space that we have in our capital plan. Having said that, I believe that there is not an issue around public safety with the facility if it’s being used as it was intended to be used. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning. Earlier this week, I officially launched Family Violence Awareness Week in the Great Hall of this building. The focus this year is the prevention of violence against women and children with disabilities.

Members of this House know the impact violence has against all members of our society. Its corrosive effects eat away at our communities and families. We must work together to eliminate violence, and we must be especially vigilant in our efforts to eliminate violence against the most vulnerable members of our society.

Mr. Speaker, people with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in fact there haven’t been formal backup plans for a school that burned down or ceased to be available to us for each community. We have relied on the local communities to respond, depending on what the situation is. For instance, often a problem with a school might be limited to a small section, so you may need to replace a classroom or two. It’s not often that a whole school is in need of replacement.

Having gone through the situation in Inuvik now a few times unexpectedly, we are going to work with our colleagues at the DECs to ensure that some thought...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am quite prepared to work with the Aurora College Board of Governors and see what we can do in terms of replacing the facility in Norman Wells. I would be prepared to meet with the Town and other groups, but we need to make sure that we can find the money in the capital plan. That is my first goal: to try and move that forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had hoped to be able to bring this project forward in this current year because I visited the learning centre and would agree with the Member that it is far from ideal. It does need to be replaced. Unfortunately, given the other pressures that we had with schools in the Northwest Territories, we ran up to the limit of the capital plan before that project could be included. So it will be one that I am hoping will come forward in the very near future. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we will be working with our colleagues at the DECs to make sure that there is some thought given to what would happen in the event that a school was not available, and so that there would be some form of backup planning in all communities.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have told the Member, I am quite prepared to work with the college board of governors and the community to look at where we can fit the facility in Norman Wells into the capital plan. I do agree that we need to look at it as an urgent need for Norman Wells. That facility really needs some attention. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.