Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned earlier today, I wish to table a package of drawings of Fort Simpson students age nine to 11 years old. Mr. Speaker, through their words and colourful drawings, the students share their thoughts about what they enjoy about the John Tsetso Memorial Library. Mahsi cho.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is hopeful that as a result of this meeting at the end of the month, that the community will pick one of the four options and want to begin moving forward with it. So I’m asking the Minister, can he look at his resources and see if he can assist the community of Fort Simpson in moving forward with whichever plan they choose at that time? It will be very helpful as we work towards the business planning this coming fall. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I’m very pleased that departmental staff, especially from libraries, will attend a meeting in Fort Simpson. That’s something that we’re looking at. Knowing business planning as I do, I’m hoping that the meeting that will occur at the end of this month will have enough impact to urge the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to be getting some financial resources in the business planning for our next fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Within the last year I raised the subject of the John Tsetso Memorial Library in Fort Simpson a number of times. Since the relocation of the library from the Deh Cho Hall, the community has had its much used facility reduced to a resource centre. In short, there is no library. I spoke about the value of the community’s library as a place to pick up reading materials and for many literacy and educational programs it has offered over the years.

Last month the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Jackson Lafferty, and a few days later, the chair, Mr. Tom Beaulieu...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of the John Tsetso Memorial Library funding.

Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 144 signatures of Fort Simpson residents and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide the funding necessary to construct a new John Tsetso Memorial Library. Thank you very much.

Once the meeting is completed, is the Minister prepared to provide some advanced funding to start some work on the pre-planning, looking at building size, et cetera, even towards costing out a Class D estimate of a project of this nature? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow up on my Member’s statement when I was speaking about the John Tsetso Memorial Library in Fort Simpson and I would also like to ask a question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

I was very pleased that he did have an opportunity to view the facilities in Fort Simpson and he saw the state and condition of the library, which is now a resource centre, and also in meeting with the leadership they have indicated that they would like to move forward, they would like to do something to the library, get it repaired or get a new one built...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement with regard to the school playground in Fort Liard. Once again, I appreciate that the Minister had an opportunity to go to Fort Liard and visit the school and look at the playground. I would just like to ask just in general, what is the department’s policy on providing playgrounds for our schools, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to reiterate to the Minister that this is not exactly a new issue. It is about four years old that the playground got condemned. The urgency is to get something started this year, Mr. Speaker, and also some funding in the next fiscal year. Will the Minister commit to tell the DEA, to his staff, that this is a priority item and must be addressed as soon as possible? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I really appreciate that the Minister did hear the concerns of the community, as it was not so much a school as a community concern as well. I am pleased to see some commitment from the Minister to provide funding in the capital plan. But at the same time, as he had indicated, the time to build it is this year. Is there any way to provide some funding to assist the community this year? Thank you.