Jane Groenewegen

So in fact, then, Mr. Chairman, the amount that was indicated in the contract that has been awarded, which is a very clear amount, has not been approved by this House.

It’s within the appropriation. This is really getting confusing. Earlier today Mr. Lafferty said the contract for the Inuvik school has been awarded. Mr. Miltenberger says a very clear price has been agreed to. I’m sure there was a very clear price agreed to when we approved the budget last year for this particular capital project. Was the amount agreed to in the award of the contract the same as what this House voted to approve? Yes or no? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First to the Minister’s opening remarks. Interest in large capital projects has shifted to the mining sector, which has reduced our influence in the construction market, and inflation has eaten away at our buying power. I think this is a classic case of throwing our hands up and not trying to think of different ways to do things to make our capital dollars go further.

I’d like to see proof, too, that capital project interests have shifted to the mining sector. You know, that’s an easy thing to say. Where is the proof? I’d like to know how much various contractors in the...

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister: isn’t it true that the capital project for the Inuvik school is a negotiated contract in the neighbourhood of $140 million?

It’s a long period of time, so this will be end of my pointed questions. I thought pointed questions were allowed.

The question I asked previously was: were other procurement options than a negotiated contract considered for this particular capital project given its size and the cost to this government?

We’ve had many years to study this problem and get a plan in place. The fact is that this government has a large capital budget going forward. A document was tabled yesterday in this House showing what the priorities of that capital budget are. I want to know why Hay River is not being treated as a priority.

I can remember at the candidate forum in Hay River reassuring the people that this was in the capital budget. How can we go back and face our community now? They ask why. Why is Hay River not getting the attention it needs?

To the subject of the volume or size of our capital budget, I have a...

So to my question, then, just to be clear: in the letter of award is that clause included in that letter, that that is subject to the approval of this House?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague Mr. Krutko I stand again in this House today begging. Mr. Krutko is begging for his gravel source; I’m begging for the renovation of our high school.

Anyone who has visited Hay River has seen our famous high school. The Diamond Jenness school was designed by Douglas Cardinal and constructed in 1972. That makes the school 36 years old, older than some Members of this Legislature. That makes it time for major renovations.

Major renovations to the school are very overdue. The renovation project first appeared in the capital plan in 2001. The capital plan...

Just as a matter of process, who would have signed off on the award of this contract?

So we have awarded the contract, but we haven’t signed the contract. You know, this is kind of a fine line here. Does the awarding of the contract in any way legally bind this government to this contract in the absence of the actual appropriation of the money approved in this House?