Wendy Bisaro

I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement and ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment a couple of questions relative to some of the problems that teachers experience on a daily basis. I would like to ask the Minister what the department does currently to provide housing for teachers in smaller communities.

Mr. Chair, I’d like to echo the comments of the previous speaker in regard to the École St. Joseph School project. The school is not in my riding, but many students who live in my riding go to that school, which happens to be next door. I do believe that the Catholic School Board shouldn’t be expected to take the delay in the construction of this particular renovation.

My question for the Minister is: what has been accomplished by the $9.2 million in total or the prior year’s expenditures? Or if that money is sitting as a carryover, will it be available to the school board for them to start...

Mr. Chair, I need to go back to the premise under which I had understood that items were in this appropriation. It doesn’t seem to be a safety issue. It doesn’t seem to be an already-in-progress contract issue. I question whether we should go ahead with the $225,000 expense when we have yet to determine how we are going to save $135 million. I would simply make that as a comment.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d like to address a couple of the items relative to Community Justice and Corrections as well.

Two items are listed: Inuvik Young Offender Facility foundation issues and North Slave correctional centre all-erosion drainage modification. From the title of those two projects I’m guessing that there’s some urgency, that with one the foundation of the building is at issue and that with the other it’s an erosion and a drainage problem in and around the facility, but there is no information that tells me that. I’m simply given to understand that the work has to take place this...

This is an issue of public safety. A major sewer collapse will create both unsanitary and uninhabitable conditions in the trailer park. It’s not inconceivable that 1,200 people will be displaced from their homes with nowhere to go.

So when planning this year’s budget, consider the plight of the Northlands residents. Be the helping hand and get this infrastructure replacement going before it is too late.

Mr. Chair, just a follow-up. How much of that $9.2 million has been expended and is not available? Do we have any idea of the carryover amount that will be available to the board?

Mr. Chair, I don't know whether it’s the female perspective that Mr. Bromley referenced in his Member’s statement or whether we're just smarter than everybody else, but I was going to say what Jane was saying, and then I was going to say what Mr. Bromley has said.

I have difficulty with $225,000 on a structure. This is a capital investment; it’s not operations. I have no problem with a program. I believe the programs are necessary, and they ought to be there. The construction of this particular area could be a program in and of itself. Having the inmates build this area would probably be as...

Thank you for the explanation.

Mr. Chairman, just a general comment about a number of items in this appropriation. It’s really helpful if we could have some sort of an explanation, other than the fact that it needs to be done, in order for us to determine whether or not these things are urgent.

I have difficulty with all of the items under Community Justice and Corrections. They all indicate, or we’re given to understand, that work has to go ahead this summer, but it doesn’t tell us why.

I’d particularly like to ask about the aboriginal healing and spiritual program area. If I could get an...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am firmly planted on the fence in regard to this motion.

I understand fully why this project should go forward, and I do believe that through the master plan of renovating this facility and the long-term care facility in Fort Smith, it will be of benefit.

My concern has to do with the timing. We were given to understand that the things in this particular appropriation were things which were required from a safety point of view, from a contract-in-place point of view — and I’ve forgotten the other one. My understanding is — and again it goes to the question of what the...

Yellowknife is home to a potential health and safety risk, Mr. Speaker.

Water and sewer infrastructure exists in one small corner of the city that is well beyond its shelf life and badly in need of repair. These pipes are more than 30 years old and a disaster waiting to happen. Northlands Trailer Park, Condominium Corporation No. 8., sits just outside downtown Yellowknife and provides low-cost and affordable housing to some 1,200 Yellowknife residents. Many are low-income earners or are on fixed incomes.

Because the trailer park is a condominium, it’s treated like a private homeowner. The costs...