Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Standing Committee on Social Programs reviewed Bill 19, the Donation of Food Act, at a public meeting held Thursday, October 16, 2008. At the public meeting we heard from the sponsor of the bill, Ms. Bisaro, on the need to protect businesses that donate food for charity from liability concerns. We heard that many more restaurants and grocery outlets would donate food if the liability issues were dealt with.

The committee heard from Hon. Sandy Lee, Minister of Health and Social Services, on the government’s support for this legislation and the actions that her...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At one time the Department of Public Works maintained an office and staff in Lutselk’e and also had mechanics in Fort Resolution who looked after the maintenance of all heavy equipment in the community. This was discontinued eight years ago. Would the Minister look at working with the Department of Public Works to assist the communities in maintaining their equipment, in addition to what MACA is doing?

I don’t believe the money allocated to the communities for this activity takes into consideration hiring qualified mechanics from outside the community or extra travel and accommodation costs for mechanics and, if parts are needed, expensive freight costs. Will the department look at increasing community budgets to allow them to properly maintain their equipment?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Brian Kardash, a schoolteacher from Fort Resolution from last year and Patricia’s husband, as you indicated. I never met his father, but I understand that’s Dan Kardash.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Chair. Just a quick question for the department or the Minister. I see that there is a plan to do some energy upgrades to camps. I’m assuming that’s just to make some of the equipment storage areas more energy efficient. I’m wondering if there is a plan to do an energy upgrade on the camp at Big Buffalo River.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m listening to both sides of the discussion here today. I think that I’m surprised that there was no analysis done on what this could do to the market. If all of the office space currently in the communities is being utilized and this does not quit utilizing any of that office space, then I could see why this could be overlooked by government to not consider doing a market disruption analysis. However, I still feel that there is some sort of market analysis that has to be done, whether we script it as a market disruption analysis or not, some form of an analysis that...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all, looking at this capital plan, I’d like to thank the Department of Transportation for putting some money into Highway No. 6. I had an opportunity to discuss this budget, or the plan to put this money in, with the community of Fort Resolution. Highway No. 6 is the highway that goes from Hay River into Fort Resolution. It’s not right from Hay River but from what’s referred to as the Big Buffalo River camp into Fort Resolution, 90 kilometres of highway. For the most part, about 70 kilometres of this highway is in fairly decent shape. It’s not in good shape...

If market disruption is not an issue and the MLAs on this side of the House are indicating that there could be other priorities that we see because market disruption may be — from that type of evaluation — something that’s missing from this piece of the puzzle, would it be possible for the government to provide some comfort to the MLAs indicating that there is no market disruption? Maybe by getting the individual rental office space sector from Inuvik to indicate that this would not be an issue. I’m wondering if something like that could be easily attained.

I have a question on the demolition of the current structure where the planned office is being contemplated. I was wondering if there was some money put into the capital plan for, I believe, this fiscal year. I was wondering if the department could advise when the demolition will be completed and the land will be ready for a new structure to be put on it.

Okay. The office space that’s been used as the band office, where they have most of the community government…. I wonder if the deputy minister could advise me who owns the office space. Who is responsible for the maintenance on that building?