Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement, my concerns on the closing of the facility on the K’atlodeeche, I’m just wondering if the Minister of Health has a set plan for that facility in the near future.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The building will be secured by Public Works. There may be a couple of individuals that are continuing to work around the building. However, the plan, as I relayed to Chief Fabian, was to get together with the council and also ask if he had any issue with engaging the Stanton Elders Council to work with us on future use of that building. I don’t know what the future use of that building would be at this time, but we are consulting with some people to develop some ideas on what we can do with that building. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I’m just looking for clarity. Is the Department of Health going to maintain the cost of this facility or is it being switched over to the Department of Public Works and Services in their control so it becomes a territorial facility open to any opportunities within the territorial government or is it remaining in the control of the Department of Health?
Mr. Speaker, until the Department of Health officially gives up the asset, it would remain with us. The thought is that we do that. Public Works has always maintained the building, so that’s continuing. This is a government asset sitting on reserve land, but we will continue to use the building. Public Works will continue to maintain the building. At some point down the road, if Health has no use for that building, it will be put back in the government inventory for other uses. Thank you.
Obviously, being the optimist, I’m looking at this as an opportunity for the Department of Health. I am wondering if the Minister is looking at any opportunities to decentralize positions and replace some of the 14 positions that have been lost in the region.
Mr. Speaker, that thought hasn’t been contemplated at this time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess my final question would be, if the Department of Health doesn’t have a current use for it, would they be willing to turn it over immediately if an opportunity were to present itself from one of the other departments.
Mr. Speaker, I’m sorry; I didn’t hear the Member’s question.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Bouchard, could you restate your question to the Minister?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question was if the Department of Health is willing to hand over the facility if an opportunity presented itself for some other department.
Mr. Speaker, if there was a better use for the building within government overall, I think, as a government we will make that decision to use that facility for something else like training or something that would be used outside of Health’s mandate. As I indicated, we need to have that discussion with the people from the reserve – it’s built on the reserve – and then take their advice on what we should be doing with that building. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
