David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak today about a vital piece of our tourism product here in the Northwest Territories. Built in 1979 and named after the Prince of Wales, our Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre is an absolute cornerstone of the tourism products that we have to offer. On the eve of what is looking like a very busy summer season, I am very concerned and alarmed that the centre sits in the state that it sits today.

As a young man I used to work at the centre and I have always held the centre in the highest regard. I have a great deal of respect and admiration...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m just wondering again, maybe the Minister could let us know when Regular Members of this side of the House might be able to actually see some evidence or business plan. Like I said, I’m not fundamentally opposed to something like this happening, but a case has not been made and I don’t think you just do it just to do it. I think you have to make a case for it. There’s certainly a number of questions that are left unanswered here and I’m wondering when the Minister could commit. I know I’m not on the Social Programs committee, but consult with us and show us the plan...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask some questions picking up on my Member’s statement from earlier today. I’m trying to understand the decision-making process by the government in its proposal to move the Territorial Treatment Centre from Yellowknife to Hay River. Not that I’m opposed to that happening fundamentally, but I’m just trying to understand how the decision was arrived at. Maybe the Minister could help me understand, because I haven’t seen any consultation. I’m not on the Social Programs committee, but I haven’t seen any consultation with Members of this side of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I start my statement, I would like to welcome all the distinguished guests who are with us here today.

I’d like to use my Member’s statement today to highlight the impacts of moving the Territorial Treatment Centre from Yellowknife to Hay River. I can understand and appreciate the politics that are at play when a decision like this is made. What I haven’t seen is an actual business case for the move. I’d like to know how the Minister can say that workers in Hay River who lost their jobs with the closure of Dene K’onia will gain employment if and when the TTC is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So if I’m not mistaken, what the Minister is saying is the decision to move this program was made before any type of business analysis or business plan was conducted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is that true? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think it appears in last year’s capital budget, at least not the last time I looked. So maybe the Minister could check that and I can check my budget document, as well. I think it was in there before, but it was taken out last year, Mr. Speaker. I know the Minister stood up earlier today and said that he’s convinced that the move of the TTC would not impact the program or its clients. Can the Minister demonstrate to Members of this side of the House how that is going to happen and how it will play out that the clients in the programs are not impacted by the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Talking about infrastructure and the use of that infrastructure, I’m just wondering the money that was spent at the current TTC, has any thought been given to having a look at the Somba K’e lodge, the piece of public infrastructure that sits empty on the Detah access road, to house a program like the Territorial Treatment Centre, or did we just make a decision, let’s just move the whole program? Did we give that some thought, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to again get back to the decision-making. I know the Minister spoke of money being spent on technical work and I think that work was done by FSC Architects here in Yellowknife on the current facility. I’m just wondering if that money was spent to see if the facility could actually be renovated to house the treatment centre for the immediate future here, or was the intention just to shut the facility down and that $180,000 that was spent on that FSC contract actually was just spent with the full intention of moving the TTC out of Yellowknife and into Hay River...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the president of the Royal Canadian Legion here in Yellowknife, Mr. Lloyd Lush. With Lloyd is Mr. Lorne Power, general manager of the Royal Canadian Legion. Welcome gentlemen.

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I’d also like to recognize a constituent of mine, Abel Kogiak, who has recently returned from the Voyageur Rendezvous in Rocky Mountain House. He was one of the original voyageur canoeists in 1970. Welcome, Abel.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister commit to us today to share whatever research that his department has done in terms of looking at moving this treatment centre to Hay River? I know it hasn’t come through and it goes back to the decision-making process, but nobody has been consulted on this and nobody has seen a business plan. I’d like the Minister to commit to us today that he will share whatever information he’s got so that we can say we’re not just making a move to make the move, but we’re doing so for the benefit of the clients. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.