Jackson Lafferty

Yes, there is a contract that’s been awarded to work on the Inuvik school.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this year the Government of the Northwest Territories increased funding to the arts through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in the amount of $500,000.

The $500,000 increase included in the 2008–2009 budget will benefit both existing and new programs, including those offered by the NWT Arts Council, the Support for Northern Performers program and the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre. Community heritage centres, cultural organizations and various cultural projects around the territory will also receive increased funding in recognition of the...

I wish to table the following document entitled Northwest Territories Coroner’s Service 2007 Annual Report.

Document 101-16(2), Northwest Territories Coroner’s Service 2007 Annual Report, tabled.

I can certainly share that with the Member. I don’t have it in front of me today. But it does break down on whether it will be the foundation, the actual structure of the building itself. There are many aspects of the project itself, so we need to have the breakdown of the actual cost of the capital project.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. At this particular school, the Diamond Jenness, there’s been some work on the technical status evaluation report that was worked on in 2003, 2006 and 2008. There’s also an educational plan that is underway.

We do have our consultants going through the community tomorrow to meet with the DEA to go over the materials that need to be discussed on the educational plan. That report will be available to the community DEA and to the Member as well. Those are the works that have been undertaken with the capital projects we will be discussing here. We need to have a plan in place...

Mr. Speaker, that will certainly be part of the planning process. It’s not just the ECE department; it’s also Housing and Health and Social Services — the nurses. We have a variety of professionals living in the communities. We need to form a group within Beaufort-Delta and other regions, where there’ll be Chairs to meet on this particular item, because it is a serious item that we need to deal with. It is a need in the communities, and also it’s our need to have those teachers or nurses placed in the communities.

I’m also meeting with the Chairs of the regional boards in December. That is one...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, we’ve been alerted that one of the communities is having a shortage. There was notice of the closure of a building. The Member already approached me on this particular issue. I did instruct my staff to follow through on it with the local superintendent in the Beaufort-Delta. My staff is working closely with the superintendent and the local DEA to try to resolve that issue.

It is a private contractor that holds the unit, and it is due for closure next month. We’re doing what we can as a department to work with the community to find solutions. It is a development...

On the air quality tests that were initiated by PWS, the report has been done. It has been shared with the Member, I do believe. Maybe I’m mistaken on that. Certainly, those reports were taken into consideration when we were going through this process as being a priority project. I personally, as the Minister, have not seen the document itself. It’s within the Department of PWS. I need to sit down with the Minister of PWS to go through the actual results and the information.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, those are the issues that have been addressed. We did visit the community school. Thanks to MLA Groenewegen for giving us a tour, and also to the principals. That’s part of the capital projects that we will be discussing over the next few days here. There is an education plan underway as well. That is the ongoing work that is happening between our department and PWS. Those are the discussions that will be undertaken here in the House on the capital projects.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act, be read for the third time. Mahsi.