Jane Groenewegen

I move that this committee defer further consideration of the activity Education and Culture under the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Capital Estimates 2009–2010, on pages 7-7 and 7-8 at this time. Thank you.

Again, I’m just not sure exactly of the processes. There is something that goes to the Cabinet — it’s called the pink — and it’s usually the FMB’s analysis of a particular project that’s before Cabinet. So there wouldn’t have been any other record of decision signed off other than the one signed by Mr. Handley and voted on by the Cabinet, correct?

Thank you. To Mr. Hawkins’ questions about whether modern day formulas would mean smaller classrooms than we have now, I want to assure Members that we can’t get classrooms smaller than what we have right now. So it would be, as Mr. Aumond said, that in some cases it would mean smaller classrooms and some cases the reverse. In this case, it would be the reverse, because you can’t get classrooms smaller and more dysfunctional in that sense from what we have right now in Hay River South at Diamond Jenness. Some of you have seen them. There is not even a proper dividing wall between the...

Thank you. So Premier Handley signed off on the record of decision from the FMB to enter into the negotiations?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just to be very clear, certainly I’m in support of making sure that if we are going to have a midlife retrofit on the Diamond Jenness Secondary School, it incorporates everything that we would like it to incorporate.

I’m not suggesting that we should take a band-aid and put it on a building and then close your eyes and cross your fingers and hope for the best for the next 35 years. I do want to see it incorporate all things. I’m just having a hard time accepting that from what I heard — when the Ministers, Education, Public Works and Services and everybody came down...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would suggest we resume consideration of Tabled Document 93-16(2), Capital Estimates 2009–2010. In particular I suggest we pick up consideration of Capital Estimates for Transportation before we continue with Industry, Tourism and Investment and Environment and Natural Resources. Following that, we’ll resume with consideration of ECE and Public Works and Services, in that order, and hopefully consider these matters through to conclusion today.

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?