Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll pay specific note to that. My apologies in that regard. Mr. Speaker, if I rephrase my question it is, how does the Minister show the true independence of a health board by him not sitting on the board as chairperson and still being a sitting Minister? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the Minister is correct, because it uses the word “may.” You know, the Minister may establish a board. But we’re talking about the spirit and the intent of the act. Because what’s evolved out of this process of once the board has dissolved, he’s right; the trustee has been made trustee for life. It’s time that we get on and appoint a public board. The spirit and the intent of the act does not describe sort of a relationship where the Minister should sit as the board chair. So, Mr. Speaker, maybe the Minister could then refer to me where this is not considered a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize a few people in the gallery today. A friend of mine, Mr. Daryl Dolynny.

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With him today he’s bringing several relatives, I believe his aunt and uncle, Mike and Vicky Dolynny...

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…and with them more relatives, Rose and Herbert Holgate. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Welcome everyone.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the first day of this session I had an interesting exchange with the Minister of Health and Social Services on the need for an independent board to watch over the operations of the Stanton Territorial Hospital. Mr. Speaker, all public hospitals in Canada have independent public boards. On the face of it, using the Joint Leadership Council, which is made up of the chairpersons of the health authorities, ensuring regional perspectives are brought to the table is a great idea. I think it’s an efficient use of resources, boards and administration, Mr. Speaker.

However...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First off I’ll say I’m glad to see two energy statements in regards to the concerns by the Ministers read into the record today, because that will be very important later. Although I have to tell you, Mr. Speaker, I’m not old enough to have experienced the telex, Morse code, or other things like that…

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…like Mr. Braden has. I can tell you my TV, cell phone and Internet generation has seen significant climate changes and concerns that we see today. My Member’s statement today, then, Mr. Speaker, as you’ve probably guessed, is about core funding for the Arctic...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First off I’ll say I’m glad to see two energy statements in regards to the concerns by the Ministers read into the record today, because that will be very important later. Although I have to tell you, Mr. Speaker, I’m not old enough to have experienced the telex, Morse code, or other things like that…

---Laughter

…like Mr. Braden has. I can tell you my TV, cell phone and Internet generation has seen significant climate changes and concerns that we see today. My Member’s statement today, then, Mr. Speaker, as you’ve probably guessed, is about core funding for the Arctic...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s given me a lot to think about. If you treat it as a renovation over the long term, it sounds like a different approach. I was concerned that we were initially going to spend $3.5 million, have to throw it away and in three years we would have to walk away from our investment. I think that’s where the concern really comes from and I am sure Members on this side of the House would see it that way if we would completely have to walk away from $3.5 million, because I don’t know how anyone on this side of the House can spend $3.5 million for three years and walk away...

Mr. Chairman, I just have a question. How much money would be required to approve this in order to create a full renovation plan that would satisfy the needs of the fire marshal? Would it require, for example, $100,000 plan in order to satisfy the fire marshal on an interim basis while a strategy comes forward to renovate the whole facility? As I clearly heard here, $12 million would buy us a smaller facility, $10 to $12 million would buy us full reno on this building. Money has to be spent to tear down the siding, ripping down the insulation anyway, so it’s like we would breathe new life into...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the stand the Minister has made, but I’d still like to know what the cost would be to tear that building down and has there been a full environmental assessment of that building, recognizing that it’s probably full of asbestos and lead paint and who knows what else? To add to that question I’d asked earlier, what class of estimate was this $3.5 million pegged at? Was it a class A, class B, class C, or even a class D? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know this is not an easy decision and it really does impact the community. It’s a very important building, it’s a community building. I know the building extremely well and I realize the importance of it. I was there in Fort Simpson not that long ago and I got to walk through it again and see the day care and the important infrastructure that it provides to the community and you can definitely realize how critical it is to the community. I shouldn’t just say Fort Simpson, I should call it the community at large.

The trouble is, are we giving value to the community? I...