Jane Groenewegen

I’m wondering: on some of this mechanical and stuff, which has been extensively studied, why can’t we get started if funds are not an issue? Can I hear clearly that we could get started in the summer of ’09?

That’s everything I wanted to know. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, as I have stated in this House before and will state again, the school in Hay River is a bit of a landmark. It may be old, but it is of a design that is unusual, outstanding, and it’s a tourist attraction. I don’t think you’re going to completely change the exterior. I mean, it needs to be upgraded, definitely. It needs new windows; it may need new siding. If you’re going to use the same school, it’s hard for me to believe that a program review for what you’re going to do inside that school is going to…. You would think that wisdom would tell you that you’re going to probably try...

And that would have been signed off by yourself as Minister of Finance? Just help me out. Who’s signing here?

Thank you. Would the Member that would have provided a letter of support, then, when it comes back to FMB, still be back in the same position? Because, really, the project didn’t double, but it definitely increased by at least 30 to 40 per cent. So does the same rule, I guess, of excusing oneself from those kinds of discussions apply, and do they put it on the original record of decision and proceed with the negotiated contract?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m going to be supporting this motion, because I support Mr. Jacobson, because I support the Nunakput riding, because I support fairness in the distribution of our capital projects and I support putting a priority on the education of our children and not useless office buildings.

Mr. Chairman, this particular project was first presented to Members in terms of correspondent communication with Cabinet at a certain dollar value. It has changed quite substantially with the passing of time with the work that’s gone into identifying pricing through subcontractors, with the scope probably having been examined and re-examined. So the initial project dollar value as presented that was approved and signed off by Minister Handley…. Well, first of all, I should ask the question rather than make a statement. When there is a record of decision signed off by Cabinet that enters into...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a motion. I move that this committee strongly recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment take urgent action to advance the project schedule and proposed cash flow for the Diamond Jenness school renovation project by one fiscal year; and further, that the necessary funding amounts be included in the second estimates document that will be presented to the House in February of 2009 for fiscal year 2009–2010.

Okay. Thank you. The past week in the House we heard that when a Member of the Cabinet chooses to provide endorsement or a letter of support for a negotiated contract for a capital project in their riding, they will declare a conflict and not participate at the Cabinet or Financial Management Board table on that particular project. That’s what I think we heard. Is that correct?

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Well, that makes me feel a lot better — only 37,000 square feet.

I think it is incumbent on the government — if they want to spring an office building into the capital plan at the eleventh hour that’s not even in the five year capital plan and want to drop this into the mix basically with no notice — to make very compelling arguments for why they need this money to build this new office building in Inuvik. I think they have failed the test in terms of making that argument. I hear a lot of information, but saying that there isn’t a single location in Inuvik with 37,000...