Debates of August 22, 2007 (day 15)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker…(Translation)…earlier, my statement that I made, there’s a sports complex in Behchoko. They have a lot of activities happening in the sportsplex, but it has been closed for awhile for renovations and there were monies allotted to renovate it. (Translation ends)

…our government of Behchoko community and allocated funds from their capacity building fund towards the Behchoko sportsplex, the soon-to-be multi-purpose building, for a comprehensive retrofit and expansion. The redesign will turn the building into a multi-purpose hall including a library, youth centre, ice rink and gymnasium. The design work is currently underway and completion of what will amount to a new facility expected by 2009. The newly completed facility will add considerably to the quality of life in Behchoko.

Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister responsible for MACA, Municipal and Community Affairs. Since the one-time funding of the capacity building will only cover the redesign of the building, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister and his department of how they could assess and help with the project financially to see this important project complete so we can see more talented Tlicho athletes from the region? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 175-15(6): Behchoko Sportsplex Renovations

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’d be glad to sit down with the community of Behchoko to review the options to do more work on this piece of infrastructure. However, I’d like to remind the Member that the community capacity fund was indicated to be one-time funding only and with no ongoing support. There is some other programs that we may be able to target or maybe allow for some of the shifting of their infrastructure funding or lever some federal funding. I would have to sit down with the community and see what’s available and what the plans are. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 175-15(6): Behchoko Sportsplex Renovations

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister is willing to sit down with our current Tlicho leadership. At the same time, I’d like to get some sort of a commitment from the Minister and his department to move forward with this initiative. I realize capacity building is a one-time fund, which really helped out a lot of our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask my follow-up question to the Minister. Is the Minister of MACA open for partnership where the Tlicho Government, Behchoko Community Government, come out with some funds towards this important project. Could the Minister also commit towards this initiative via matching funds? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 175-15(6): Behchoko Sportsplex Renovations

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as part of the New Deal, we transferred our capital dollars over to the community to decide and prioritize their projects. I’ve not seen the proposal for the Tlicho. However, as I indicated, I’d need to see what the business case is for this project and where the dollars were planned to be allocated from and what we can do for them. I’d gladly have our staff sit down and review that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 175-15(6): Behchoko Sportsplex Renovations

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are getting somewhere with this so it’s good, it’s a good sign. I guess we’re at the end of our term here. We’re here until next week, but the Minister is still in his capacity until the next couple months. So I would like to find out if the Minister could meet with the community chief, the Tlicho Government and myself to move forward with this possibly I’m hoping next week? If he could commit to that, to sit down about that initiative. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 175-15(6): Behchoko Sportsplex Renovations

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d gladly meet with the chief. In fact, I had a discussion with him this morning. I guess it would be providing that we can match our schedules over the next while and I’d be glad to work with the Member to try to set that up, Mr. Speaker.