Debates of October 15, 2004 (day 21)

Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. I was going to follow up with some questions to the Minister of MACA with regard to my Member’s statement. MACA officials and the Minister met with the community of Nahanni Butte. The community had indicated that this particular item is a high priority for them. It is my thinking that a community’s priority is our priority. Can the Minister confirm that the government still has no plans to provide the residents of Nahanni Butte with a gymnasium until the year 2017?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 228-15(3): Gymnasium For Nahanni Butte

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct. We have looked at the situation with the community of Nahanni Butte. Unfortunately, capital projects of that nature have to compete with other infrastructure needs in the communities. At this point, there is no intention of trying to move that facility up. We are working with the community. We have provided some funding for a youth facility through our Community Initiatives Program. But, at this point, we haven’t been able to commit to requesting that facility be moved up. It has to compete with other infrastructure and makes it very difficult. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 228-15(3): Gymnasium For Nahanni Butte

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister promise to the youth in Nahanni Butte that they will be provided with the same recreational opportunities that all other youth of the Northwest Territories enjoy before all the students currently attending school in the Nahanni Butte have graduated? Mr. Speaker, we have a whole generation that will graduate before even getting a gymnasium. They can’t even play volleyball and indoor soccer. I would like the Minister to look at getting us a gymnasium. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 228-15(3): Gymnasium For Nahanni Butte

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during our tour this summer with the communities in Nahendeh, we had discussed this issue. We had committed that we would work with them to see what is available. The issue of a gymnasium and a standard across the board, I am not sure how many other communities don’t have gymnasiums. In some communities, it is attached to the school. In this case, there is no intention for a facility to be attached to the school. There are only 25 students in the school. We would like to sit down and talk to the community about a multi-purpose hall as soon as we get a chance and look at what we can do. But, at this time, we have no plans to put in a school gymnasium. It is in the capital needs. However, as the Member has indicated, it is quite a ways down the road. It would be very difficult to move forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 228-15(3): Gymnasium For Nahanni Butte

Mr. Speaker, I find it quite outrageous that the Minister would reference how many students are in that school when communities of even smaller sizes do have school gymnasiums. I would like to ask the Minister if he is willing to undertake a feasibility or engineering study to at least cost out this project. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 228-15(3): Gymnasium For Nahanni Butte

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we would certainly commit to looking at the options and meet with the community to talk about what we can do there, if it is feasible or viable to look at a multi-purpose hall or continue working with the youth centre or to even discuss what it would entail to put in a school gym. We certainly could commit to doing that. We will have our regional staff discuss this with the community. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 228-15(3): Gymnasium For Nahanni Butte

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I do believe that I stand firm that it certainly is one of the communities or probably the only community that still doesn’t have this facility. I would like to ask the Minister, will he provide the same recreational opportunities to the students of Nahanni Butte that others have in the Northwest Territories, and will the Minister commit to undertake a feasibility or engineering study to cost out this project in this fiscal year?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 228-15(3): Gymnasium For Nahanni Butte

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to indicate to the Member that the department recognizes a need for recreation infrastructure, and we encourage recreation programs. We invest a lot of money into recreation programs across the North. Not every community has a gymnasium. The process for recreation facilities has to go through the capital planning process. It has to compete with water, sewer, solid waste, and all these other infrastructure needs across the Territories. The demand is high. We have had to cut and look at ways we spend money and reallocate. So it is very difficult for me to say yes, we can commit to putting a school gymnasium in the community of Nahanni Butte. We would like to have a good discussion. We would like to look at all the options that are available. We may not be able to do a gym, but we may be able to identify something else that the community would like to do. I have indicated that I would commit to looking at the options that are available to us, including the scoping out of what it would cost for a gymnasium and present that to the community. I think I have already made that commitment. Thank you.