Debates of March 14, 2007 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask questions today to the Minister of ECE. It gets back to the facilities usage here in Yellowknife and the school issue. I think some people may be thinking this is a relatively new issue. This isn’t a new issue. It’s been at the top of our agenda since at least three years ago when we were elected and recent events with the fire at Ecole St. Joseph last summer. It’s surfaced again now because there is a desperate need to accommodate students from St. Joseph School. I’d like to ask the Minister of ECE what, maybe he can give us a little bit of a chronology of how and what he has done to address this issue over the past three years. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 26-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is aware, the issue about school space was first raised by school boards when we met with them right after the last election. So it has been something that all the Yellowknife Members have been involved in for almost four years now.

The issues of or the manner in which it’s been handled was, first of all, after the first couple of meetings there didn’t seem to be any easy way to move forward, so I put together a committee that involved all of the stakeholders in education in Yellowknife. That committee met and over the course of a number of months; delivered a final report about a year ago.

Subsequent to that, since it didn’t come to some resolution on space for schools in Yellowknife, I brought in a mediator and asked him to meet with the two boards. That didn’t come to any fruitful resolution.

Following that, I met myself with the two boards to try and move the process along. So there’s been ongoing consultation to try and bring this to some resolution over the past three years. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 26-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was wondering if the Minister can give the government’s assessment of what might be able to happen to try to get both school boards together to come up with a workable solution to the situation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 26-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point, I have, by way of letter to YK 1, indicated what I think should happen in this circumstance. As discussed between Ms. Lee and myself yesterday, perhaps the next step, if we’re unable to reach resolution there, would be to ensure that there is a better understanding among the public of what the recommendations are and what they mean. So we may have to look at some mechanism for a public meeting to allow stakeholders in Yellowknife to get all of the information.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 26-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think that the more information that gets out there into the public domain would be a step in the right direction for the Minister and the department to undertake that work, and I’d say move forward on that. I’d like to ask the Minister what would plan B be if the two school boards absolutely cannot work together and cannot find a solution amongst themselves? What is plan B, or is there is a plan B to this situation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 26-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d say right now that plan B is to make sure the parents have all of the information and then I’m hoping that they would be prepared to put some pressure on the boards to ensure that they are acting in the most appropriate way. That, to me, is plan B. For us to go beyond dealing with the boards and actually deal with the public is a step beyond what would be in the normal course of business. So at this point, that’s plan B, Mr. Speaker.