Robert Hawkins

I’m just trying to seek clarity in the area that we have an existing project that needs to be renovated, which I do support, and the motion falls from heaven today, and I’ll certainly be behind it.

That said, I just want to be clear that if Hay River were to get a new high school on that formula, I’m just trying to get a sense of the old “it’s better to renovate versus build new.” I was always under the understanding that if you renovate existing — typically a lot of our schools are fairly old, but they have large classrooms, working spaces, et cetera — you’d be able to retain those spaces. I...

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate that. When the Hay River high school was designed, it also came with some type of caveat — if I remember correctly, that is — that any substantial change to the building, including painting, had to have some type of sign-off of the architect. Is that true, and if it is true, how is it being worked around?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wish to report progress.

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.

Are those standards typically smaller than from the deputy minister’s experience from older schools to modern schools?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, October 20, 2008, I will move the following motion.

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that this Assembly communicates its desire for the Government of Canada to undertake a full and detailed audit of the Food Mail Program in order to determine exactly what food items and which clients are currently being subsidized in order to improve program practice and accomplish the stated government objectives of contributing towards healthy diets in the North.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In that report it cites that long term patients need long care meal plans. That’s typically based on a 30 day meal plan. I’d like to know exactly who will be making the meals for the dementia centre. Is it strictly based on YACCS only having the Sodexo contractors to go to? Or are they able to design and cook and create their own meal plans within their own facility? Which is it?

Mr. Speaker, this reminds me of the old adage that when it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, it must be a duck. If YACCS is only paid in Sodexo coupons and there’s only one place that takes Sodexo coupons and they are privatized food services that offer only short term food delivery based on a seven day meal plan, what is the Minister doing to accommodate the long term meal plan as designed by the single point design that this dementia centre is designed on?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Quickly, the fact is that public health is run by the Department of Health, which is also led and supervised by the Minister of Health and Social Services. Is public health not an issue under her responsibility that also covers the area of infectious disease?

Mr. Speaker, obviously the Minister had her coffee this morning.

You know, it’s kind of shocking to hear a Yellowknife MLA — the Minister, who happens also to be a Yellowknife MLA — complain about the investment in Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Minister misunderstood the point. My riding actually doesn’t cover the Bailey House. And by the way, the Bailey House and the Salvation Army? That’s not in downtown Yellowknife.

The question really comes down to what leadership role is she suggesting? She keeps telling the city to do this. This is not a mandate of the city. I have spoken to the...