Debates of November 28, 2007 (day 4)

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 44-16(1): H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess a flux is not a good word in the capital planning process. I am sorry. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that project was in the books as a renovation project. It is moving toward being a new facility just because some parts of that building are about 40 years old and other parts are about 30 years old. There is a review being done as to whether or not it is more economical to make it into a new capital building or renovate. I think the information I am getting is that we are moving towards it being a new capital project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 44-16(1): H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, that helps. So we are leaning away from renovation towards a new facility. Is our $14 million still there as at least a starting point? If we change it from a renovation to a replacement, where do we go in the capital plan? Do we go back to the drawing board? Do we go back to square one or do we still have that capital carry-over of $14 million at least as a base start? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 44-16(1): H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the project is reviewed as either a renovation or a new capital project, the cost-benefit analysis changes because you have to look at the lifetime cost and such. Anyway, Mr. Speaker, let me just make a commitment with the Members to give her and yourself more information about where it is at. I just don’t have that detailed information that the Member is asking for just now. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 44-16(1): H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Might I say that I will not be very happy if we are going back into the line-up for capital projects, not considering that we are talking about Fort Smith, Yellowknife and all of these competing interests for capital dollars. I want to make sure that Hay River stays at the front of the line on this. I would like to ask the Minister’s commitment on that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 44-16(1): H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital Renovation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will make my commitment to work my best to make sure that it doesn’t stay on the back of the line. I just don’t know exactly what part of the front line it is at. I will provide the information to the Member. I just can’t remember which year it is at. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am kind of feeling like the late Rodney Dangerfield and not getting much satisfaction.

---Laughter

I am going to try again. I have questions for the Minister of Transportation. With the P3 project, obviously the government and the Department of Transportation have put a lot of time, effort and resources into the pursuit of the Deh Cho Bridge project and the process. Meanwhile, I am seeing other projects in the territory such as the city of Yellowknife Kam Lake bypass. We have the Tuk access road as well as the Kakisa Bridge. Other projects are being left out or not deserving of the attention that they need and require. I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation if he could provide the House with a detailed accounting of what the department has spent in terms of our resources and manpower on pursuing the Deh Cho Bridge project at the detriment of other projects around the territory, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.

Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for the question. Mr. Speaker, the Deh Cho Bridge is a P3 project. It doesn’t come out of any other source of funding that I know of in terms of how we spend our time and energy on this project here. He referenced the example of the Yellowknife bypass. That is coming out. If it is the project that this government feels is a priority, it will come out of other sources of funding offered up by the Building Canada funding.

Mr. Speaker, the resources in terms of our government putting energy and effort in is done by the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation’s representatives in terms of the exact counting. I will have to get back to him in terms of the amount he is asking for. I don’t have it at my fingertips right now. However, the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, Mr. Speaker, is an example of how innovative approaches to look at projects, key infrastructures right down the Mackenzie Valley. This is one project that we know we have to look at in terms of building transportation infrastructure in the Northwest Territories. Fortunately, we had to see this as an opportunity that we see a high volume of traffic coming through the Mackenzie crossing. This is an opportunity that we could benefit the people in the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The time for question period has expired; however, I will allow the Member a short supplementary. Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. From where I sit, Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that the department has spent a lot of time and effort on the Deh Cho Bridge project and we talked about the Kam Lake access road, the city of Yellowknife bypass road and the Building Canada Fund. Where exactly is that road? I stood up in this House for four years asking about the Kam Lake access road. We are spending our time and effort on the Deh Cho Bridge and we are not spending enough effort in other areas of the territory, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister -- he brought it up -- where exactly is the Kam Lake bypass road on this government’s agenda, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am working very closely with Minister McLeod. He is the lead Minister on infrastructure funding under the Canada build fund. I will bring that up with the Minister in terms of the issue of the Yellowknife bypass road, in terms of many other infrastructures that we wanted, balancing investment down the Mackenzie Valley in terms of these specific priorities. I will bring the issue of the amount of energy and resources that we have spent on this department on the Deh Cho Bridge by my department in terms of this issue here. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Short supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister talks about the Building Canada Fund. I would like to ask the Minister today what projects are included on that list of Building Canada Fund? Is the Yellowknife bypass road on that list, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have heard in my month as the Minister of Transportation from Members from across the House here, Members from this side here. We have many competing priorities. There is no final list right now. I can tell you that I am looking at investments down the Mackenzie Valley. There is no list right now that is finalized and we can present to you. I will be working with the Minister, lead in infrastructure. I will be working with Ministers on this side. I will be working with Members of the Legislative Assembly here in terms of having a final list.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, sources I have outside of this building would indicate that the Kam Lake bypass road, the Yellowknife bypass road is not on a list. It is not on that Building Canada list. So I take issue with the Minister not saying that. There are competing priorities; yes, there are. That is a priority here in the city of Yellowknife. It belongs on that list. It is not on the list. I want to know why it is not on that list, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is no list. If there is a list, there are many lists of many projects that are looked at. We are going to consider that in Cabinet. Once we have decided that in Cabinet, we will come to the committee and look at the list, if there is a list. Right now, there is no list.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to extend question period. Thank you.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to extend question period. Are there any nays? There are no nays. We will extend question period; but before we do, the Chair is going to call a short break.

---Applause

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. During the last Assembly, I did lots of work on behalf of constituents in Fort Simpson getting a dialysis machine and dialysis located to Fort Simpson. I think it was in the plan for 2008. I would just like to ask where is it in the capital plan at this date.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Return To Question 46-16(1): Dialysis Machine For Deh Cho Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, based on the successes we’ve had with respect to installing dialysis machines in Fort Smith to start with, outside of Yellowknife, of course, and Hay River, there is a plan in the near future to make dialysis machines available in Simpson. The issues the department are working on right now is with respect to the space at the centre, as well as staffing. Definitely this project is in the works. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 46-16(1): Dialysis Machine For Deh Cho Region

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to know as well, does the Minister know how many clients are currently from the Nahendeh riding located in Yellowknife or from the surrounding communities of Fort Simpson? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 46-16(1): Dialysis Machine For Deh Cho Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have a specific number of patients with diabetes that require dialysis services in Deh Cho. I know there is most definitely a need to have that service in Simpson and we are working to make that happen in Simpson in that area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 46-16(1): Dialysis Machine For Deh Cho Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was just trying to get at that as there is definitely a need. They have not only relocated to Yellowknife but to Hay River as well. I would just like to get assurance once again that it’s not being moved off the capital plan. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 46-16(1): Dialysis Machine For Deh Cho Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the challenge is to put it in the capital plan and it is in the works. Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to get back to the Member on exactly where it’s at in terms of its planning process and where it is in the books. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice with regard to the community of Tsiigehtchic. As we all know, Tsiigehtchic doesn’t have a police presence there. As I mentioned earlier with the Minister of Health, the medical emergency they had in the community again, without having the key positions in place such as the nurse, police and whatnot, the community has to bear the stress of finding ways of dealing with these emergencies. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice what are we doing to put policing in communities such as Tsiigehtchic in light of what was announced today with regard to…(inaudible)…

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.

Return To Question 47-16(1): RCMP Detachment In Mackenzie Delta

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the question on the police presence in Tsiigehtchic has an ongoing schedule planned for community visits. There are visits from the RCMP to communities. Like any other community, the communities that don’t have detachments, there are scheduled visits from our regional headquarters. So there are plans in place to continue that until such time as…The plan is to have a detachment in all communities. That’s one of the territorial goals of this territorial government and that’s a long-term plan as well. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 47-16(1): RCMP Detachment In Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister has stated there is a plan in place to look at communities that do not have policing. I would just like to ask the Minister who is overseeing that plan and what is the process to allow communities that don’t have policing to be involved in that dialogue or discussion so they can have input in finding a solution.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Lafferty.

Further Return To Question 47-16(1): RCMP Detachment In Mackenzie Delta

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the plan I am referring to comes out of the Fort McPherson detachment where we do have a presence in the community. The plan is to have monthly visits. Right now as it stands, there have been 21 patrols from July through November of this and they will continue. We will continue to have an officer presence in those communities that don’t have a detachment and with other communities as well that don’t have detachments. Mahsi.