Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand that information was provided to committee. We don’t have the detailed information about the terms of the various leases. I’ve already committed to get that for committee. We were asked an hour or so ago. In the meantime we haven’t had a chance to get that information.
Mr. Chairman, it worries me, hearing from the Minister of Public Works and Services about all the concerns in regard to security, accessibility, the health of the buildings and whatnot. Just on those arguments alone it tells me that departments are going to be finding excuses to move out of these leases. Yet you supposedly assure us that will not happen. We’ve already seen it happen in regard to the Department of Environment by moving out of a facility out to Shell Lake, converting the buildings out there into office space. I bet you a dollar to a doughnut that the Department of Environment will be in this new building as soon as it’s built. I know you can sit here and say you’ll guarantee that nobody will move out of those buildings. We’ve already seen that experience in Inuvik in regard to the Department of Environment. I know, basically, from the list of groups that are going to be looking for alternative space from the Divisional Board of Education, from ECE setting up clinics and whatnot, that will have a major implication on ensuring we do have long term leases or commitments to the private sector. Right now I know for a fact that most of those leases you’re talking about are month to month leases.
How can you tell me that there are not going to be any long term implications in regard to this specific arrangement in Inuvik, especially for leased space? How can you stand here and guarantee that there’s not going to be anything? Until I can see the guarantee in black and white, I know for a fact that this will have an implication for groups or organizations wanting to move. This has been on the minds of many senior officials in Inuvik for some time, how to find the perfect excuse to move out of these facilities, and now we’ve given it to them. I’d like to know: does the deputy minister know how many month to month leases are in Inuvik?
Mr. Chairman, for the record let me restate that the building that ENR was in is being fitted up, as was pointed out in this House this evening and earlier today, to be the Community Learning Centre in Inuvik, which had to shut down because the building they were in was no longer habitable. The commitment that the government has to the private sector in Inuvik is substantial. Ninety-three per cent of all the space that we have in Inuvik is leased or rented from the private sector. We know that the Perry Building is month to month. The rest of the detail of all the other leases I’ve committed and I’ll commit yet again to get for the Members.
In regard to making that decision, trying to acquire information after the fact doesn’t help us here. We need that information now in order to know that the decision we’re making will not have an implication for the retail market in Inuvik. Knowing that these leases are month to month, there is no certainty by way of lease commitments. So how can you expect us to make a rash decision on the basis of not having that information in front of us?
I’ll have to check Hansard, but there’s got to be at least half a dozen articulations of the commitment from the Minister of Public Works and Services and me on the record in Hansard indicating that we are replacing most of our own space, that current retail space won’t be impacted. The Minister, in fact, when he spoke to the motion, reiterated those same commitments. I don’t know at this point what more the Member wants. It’s on the record. It’s there and it’s a commitment.
Mr. Chair, can the Minister tell me: where does the Financial Management Board Secretariat presently work in Inuvik?
They currently reside in some offices that they’ve been using in the MACA office on a back road. I’m not sure of the name of the road, but it’s in the MACA building close to the Public Works building, I believe.
The Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority health clinic…. I believe there’s already a clinic in Inuvik. Is that the same clinic that you’re going to be relocating in regard to this particular health clinic in Inuvik?
I’ll refer that question to Mr. Aumond.
Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Mr. Aumond.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. For the purposes of the health clinic, some of the employees will be coming from the Inuvik Regional Hospital and some employees will be coming from the Health and Social Services board offices in the Semmler Building, but we will be maintaining our total space requirements in the Semmler Building for Health and Social Services.
Again, that is exactly my point. They are already coming from existing space, and that space will be vacated. There’s so much extra space out there, and we’re being told that this won’t have any implications to existing space that’s already there. There will be an implication in regard to this decision.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I didn’t hear a question there, so we’ll go back to page 4-4, Public Works and Services, Activity Summary, Asset Management, Infrastructure Investment Summary. Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Could the Minister clarify the question in regard to the Semmler Building and those individuals moving in and out of the space? Who is going to be filling that space in the Semmler Building that is going to be vacated by Health and Social Services?
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.
What I can tell the Member is that the commitment is to maintain those leases. I don’t have the detail as to exactly how the staffing complements are going to be adjusted across the community, but the commitment is to maintain those leases, and that’s what is being done.
For how long a period is the department looking at maintaining these leases? Are they long term leases or simply month to month?
The answer is the same as it was five minutes ago: I’ll get that information for the Member. I would point out, though, that the Semmler Building lease is going to be used by the Beaufort-Delta Education Council to allow for barrier free access services.
Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. The time has expired. We are on page 4-4, Public Works and Services, Activity Summary, Asset Management, Infrastructure Investment Summary, Total Infrastructure Investment Summary: $17.220 million.
Department of Public Works and Services, Activity Summary, Asset Management, Infrastructure Investment Summary, Total Infrastructure Investment Summary: $17.220 million, approved.
We can go back to page 4-2. Public Works and Services, Department Summary, Infrastructure Investment Summary, Total Infrastructure Investment Summary: $29.525 million.
Department of Public Works and Services, Department Summary, Infrastructure Investment Summary, Total Infrastructure Investment Summary: $29.525 million, approved.
Does the committee agree that we have concluded our discussions on Public Works and Services?
Agreed.
Does the committee agree that we now resume consideration of the Capital Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment?
Agreed.
All right; we will go back to page 7-7. Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a motion. I move that this committee strongly recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment take urgent action to advance the project schedule and proposed cash flow for the Diamond Jenness school renovation project by one fiscal year; and further, that the necessary funding amounts be included in the second estimates document that will be presented to the House in February of 2009 for fiscal year 2009–2010.
Okay. A motion is on the floor. It is now being distributed. The motion has been distributed. The motion is in order. To the motion, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m not sure there’s anything else I can say about the need at the Diamond Jenness Secondary School. I think this motion says it. We have devoted an extensive amount of airtime to the issues at Diamond Jenness over the past few days. So with that, I’m going to ask for a recorded vote on this motion.
Okay. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. The Member has requested a recorded vote. All those in favour, please stand.
Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Jacobson, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Krutko, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Ramsay.
All those opposed, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand.
Mr. Lafferty, Ms. Lee, Mr. Miltenberger, Mr. Roland, Mr. Michael McLeod, Mr. Robert McLeod, Mr. Bob McLeod.
The results of the recorded vote on the motion are ten in favour, none opposed and seven abstaining. The motion is passed.
Committee motion carried.
We’re on page 7-7. Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a motion to move.
I move that this committee strongly recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment take urgent action to advance the project schedule and proposed cash flow for the J.H. Sissons School renovation project by two fiscal years; and further, that the necessary funding amounts be included in the second estimates document that will be presented to the House in February of 2009 for fiscal year 2009–2010.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The motion is on the floor and is being distributed now. The motion has been distributed and the motion is in order. To the motion, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just quickly, Sissons was built in 1975, and it hasn’t received a significant renovation since then. It has had some work in the ’90s. But in reference to its elderly age, its mechanical and electrical systems have approached the end of their normal service life. This school actually doesn’t have any space for any types of storage. To my knowledge, the playgrounds have eroded to the point of being unsafe. If anything, I certainly would say that this facility is in dire need of a serious renovation and upgrade. It really doesn’t have any place for us to expand to. It really needs serious attention. I’ll just close by saying that I’d also request a recorded vote on this motion.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. To the motion, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will not be supporting this motion. I believe there are other schools in more urgent need than this project. I think it’s important to realize that there are other schools that have to be considered over and above this one. This one is already in the capital plan. There are schools in a worse situation than this facility. So I will be voting against the motion.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called. The Member has requested a recorded vote. All those in favour, please stand.
Mr. Hawkins, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Ramsay, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Jacobson.
All those opposed, please stand.
Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Krutko.
All those abstaining, please stand.
