Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would undertake to make that…. I mean, this is a situation where we don’t want to be making announcements without having gone through the debate here. So it is sort of a catch-22 situation.

I just want to say on the equipment that the most expensive part is the new services the new primary clinic will deliver, such as scan machines and X-ray machines and lab tech machines that are not available in the existing clinic.

The second thing, for those who know about these three existing clinics — with the possible exception of Great Slave — Gibson Clinic and Family clinic...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. An RFP was issued in July, and the lease has been awarded with downtown access space as well as the necessary parking. I expect to do a public statement on that. It’s just that the employees of the centre have not been advised yet, but it will be in a downtown location.

My understanding is that it’s for the lease improvements of 1,800 square metres that the clinic is looking for, to renovate, but I could defer to Mr. Aumond to see if that information is correct.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think the Member might have said that we own some of the clinics downtown. We do not own any of them. The Gibson Clinic, Great Slave clinic and Family clinic, I think — the one next to the Explorer Hotel — are the three that are going to be combined to move into the consolidated clinic. Those are all leases. We have leases with the landlords. Some of the renovations that were done were with respect to Great Slave Medical clinic, and that was done mostly with federal funding.

This consolidated clinic would allow us to have lab work and X-rays and diagnostic imaging and...

I asked that very question, and I was advised that the Capital Health authority decides where these patients go. Doctors consult with each other when we’re sending patients South and when they’re receiving. On the basis of what the doctors know, they decide what facility and what expertise this patient needs.

This patient needed neurology and cardiology treatment. Royal Alexandra is where she had to be. Before she could be placed in a room, she had to be in emergency. There were two other Alberta residents with neurology conditions. They were all being monitored. They had a bed; it’s just that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member’s question. Yesterday we happened to be out of session, and I was in my office all day. I spent the better part of my day addressing this specific situation. I talked to the husband of the patient myself. I know my deputy minister has talked to the patient’s husband in Yellowknife. We had a nurse in the department mobilizing the key people in the department to move this patient along into a room as quickly as was possible.

This patient had a stroke. She had to be sent to Edmonton. It was a decision made by the doctor here. She had to be near...

I’m not sure of that. It’s in the mix to be considered for next year’s planning projects.

Mr. Chairman, the RFP went out in July, and I believe the lease was negotiated at the end of last month, so it hasn’t been signed for three months. The location is in between Wycliffe Centre and the mall, that area.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have answered one part of that question: 1,843 square metres of space is what we are looking for. I believe we have acquired that with 25 parking spots. It is in the downtown location.

I would also concur with Minister Miltenberger that we will get back to the Member on the details of the lease agreement signed. I would think that there is a provision in there that it’s subject to approval of this House.

Mr. Chairman, this capital funding includes everything to do with the clinic. That would include tenant improvements as well as all of the medical equipment and everything else that would have to go into this clinic.

Secondly, I do want to inform the Members that there have been extensive studies done. Initially when this project was approved, I think about three years ago, the thought was to build a new building. The review has come to the conclusion that it’s more economical to use the existing site and do tenant improvements.

I’d be happy to get back to the Member on the exact breakdown of...