Robert Hawkins

Thank you to the Minister. The next question I have is about the third-party gap. Under the third-party gap – and I appreciate the deputy minister’s detail and highlight how she clarified some of that – do we find we get short-changed on any of that and, if so, could someone from the department, through the Minister obviously, provide that level of detail, what we’re left on the hook for.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There was no formal direction on this particular initiative and I have comments that say as such. That only causes me to conclude two things: the discussion of the courthouse future and its followance, missing or absence on any future capital plan, had to have been done in camera; second, with the lack of any formal correspondence, it’s only reasonable to assume the deletion of the courthouse from its capital plan must have formally been done either in Cabinet, which does not include Members. Accordingly, I will speak to the appropriate order, as such, with this sort of...

Thank you. Sure, if you can have an answer by 6:30, that would be good.

---Laugher

That’s fine. I was only kidding on that one. I’d be happy if they could get back as soon as possible. That would be quite helpful. Furthermore, I would also hope that they would take the guidance of maybe profiling it under a different method. It seems strange that it’s parked there.

The only thing I would ask, then I think we could probably leave this page, is why was there such a jump between the ‘12-13 mains and the revised estimates. I mean, what actually changed in the game? We went from $473,000 to $739,000...

Thank you for that. Just adding a little further, so is it safe to say that… Sorry. Would it be correct to say that medical travel, then, is on budget for core cost and should we be including third-party cost in its normal line budget? If the taxpayers of the Northwest Territories asked the simple question does normal medical travel under the cost of our programs we offer as a government service, are we on budget or are we within budget, is that a fair statement to make?

What does the Minister have by way of information that he can share with Members, such as myself, with regard to the $2 million that would have been spent by this March 31st? I’m trying to see what project development, what’s guiding information, planning documents, trying to get a sense of it. At the same time, the other additional question is: Who is doing this work?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Where else would you do capital planning and discussion other than asking questions in the Assembly? What is the problem that’s holding this particular issue back? Is it because it’s an investment in the city of Yellowknife, or is it because the Premier has other ambitions or obligations that he is afraid to meet and cause conflict with this idea?

That’s one of the worst answers I’ve heard from Premier McLeod in a long time. The fact is, the 15-year-old study said we needed a new courthouse. The existing building was built in 1977 when we only had four judges and limited staff and processes. The territory has practically doubled in size. What will it take to get the courthouse situation reviewed by this government, weighed and balanced fairly, not an emotional decision? Because does this Premier have an issue with investing in Yellowknife or is he thinking that our needs in this territory don’t matter when it comes to a territorial...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to use this occasion to recognize Kain Bezha, who is a St. Pat student and a Yellowknife Centre constituent. I would like to let him know, as well as everyone else who is a Page here, that I am greatly appreciative of their services, as Mr. Menicoche was saying. He is quite right. Several of us MLAs got our start as Pages in this Assembly. You never know where you can go next.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Have there been any consultant reports generated thus far, and can they be shared with committee Members like myself?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Under infrastructure planning, I’m curious as to the detail, if the Minister can explain the infrastructure planning that falls with the Stanton Territorial Hospital. What money is involved? What money is being seeded into that master plan development and when can we start to see some details of that?