Debates of October 18, 2004 (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise because I have some concerns about some of the questions, about this lease with the Centre Square Mall downtown for the Legal Services Board; however, my concerns are not quite like the other Member. I actually feel completely dismayed by some of the suggestions.

We keep hearing about the 15-year lease, but it is a five-year lease. So I think we need to get some of these misleading facts out there so they are absolutely crystal clear.

Mr. Speaker, I hear that Legal Services Board is satisfied, so my question to the Minister is, could he clarify on the criteria and…

Ms. Lee is rising on a Point of Order. Ms. Lee what is your Point of Order?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise on a Point of Order. I don’t know exactly what section there, but I believe that we have a rule in the House that says a Member cannot suggest that another Member is providing any information that is misleading, and, Mr. Speaker, I just want to state that we have the right to ask the questions that we all feel strongly about, on the basis of the information we have.

I do not appreciate any suggestion by any Member in this House that somehow we are failing in our duty to give good information. So I respect the Member's right to pose his own question, but I really do not agree with the suggestion that either I or Mr. Ramsay were misleading any information in asking the questions that we have been. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee, for your Point of Order. Mr. Hawkins, there is a possibility that you were indicating maybe some misleading information. Would you like to withdraw your comments and rephrase your question? Mr. Hawkins.

Can you say it again? I couldn’t hear you.

Mr. Hawkins, the Chair is of the impression that you may have been implying that there was some misleading information being put out in the House. Would you care to withdraw you comments and rephrase your question?

Absolutely, Mr. Speaker, as long as I don’t lose my first question. I would be more than happy to reword and take back that comment.

Mr. Speaker, I need to seek further clarification from the Minister, the Honourable Mr. Charles Dent, because the phrase gets thrown out there, in regards to how many years this lease may be and I am not really sure. So we need a solid answer to get this fact down. I also hear that the Legal Services Board is satisfied with this space in regards to meeting their criteria of storefront accessibility downtown and centralized. So are we meeting the needs of the Legal Services Board set out by their criteria. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. You mentioned Minister Dent. Did you…

My apologies.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 241-15(3): New Legal Aid Office Lease

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess just to set the record straight; from our discussions with the Department of Justice and the Legal Services Board, they are happy with the location that this new contract puts in place. It is a five-year lease, with options to renew. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 241-15(3): New Legal Aid Office Lease

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I see it, as we were fighting for legal aid earlier in the year, the fact is we couldn’t deliver the service because we didn’t have the place to send them to get the service. So I think, in my view, that this service is being met. Now because there have been concerns about the fact that the other two tenders, tenderees if I may call them that -- I don’t know what they are called -- contractors who wanted to bid on that space, didn’t have a chance to appropriately put in a proper bid. So I guess my question is regardless of someone being late or not late, on time or not on time, was the question posed to those other people who were not successful in this contracting bid? Could they provide the services designed by the criteria of the Legal Services Board as mentioned by the criterion over and over again? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Roland.

Further Return To Question 241-15(3): New Legal Aid Office Lease

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the proponents that responded to the RFP were contacted to see if they could provide a suitable location that was requested by the Legal Services Board. So they were contacted and we were informed that they did not have the adequate space or suitable space as was being requested. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 241-15(3): New Legal Aid Office Lease

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s been brought up that there could have been other options out there and maybe one of the examples could have possibly been let's put that in the Centre of Northern Families. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister be able to say clearly if that could be considered a conflict because of dealing with both sides of the client issue of legal services issues? So could that have been considered a conflict to put it in a place like that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 241-15(3): New Legal Aid Office Lease

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, all I can say to that is we had worked with those that responded to the RFP and there were no other responses that came to Public Works and Services through this RFP process. So we worked with those that responded and went with the best option that we felt was there, and then, as that work was done, passed on to Justice for their look at it and there was agreement that this was the way to go. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Your final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 241-15(3): New Legal Aid Office Lease

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question to the Minister is would he be willing to provide all Members a full briefing note on the process and maybe clarify any misconceptions and whatnot in paper to all Members? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 241-15(3): New Legal Aid Office Lease

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I would be prepared to put a briefing note together for Members of this House. Thank you.