Thank you, Madam Speaker. Although I wish I could ask a housing question today, I’ve been pressured to ask some TTC questions. So, Madam Speaker, I will be asking questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger, in regard to the costs associated with moving the TTC in Yellowknife to Hay River. As all of us know, Dene K’onia is a jail, cinder block, bars; it’s a jail. So what is going to be the premium that he thinks is no big deal to transfer anything south or anywhere else out of Yellowknife? What is the total premium it’s going to cost us to renovate the Dene K’onia so it’s no longer a cinder block and bar facility, but it’s a proper treatment centre for these youth? What is the total cost of this? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Miltenberger.

Return To Question 55-15(4): Cost Of Moving The Territorial Treatment Centre

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this facility will be renovated with the money that was in the budget initially when TTC was here. An initial plan a number of years ago was to renovate this one, and that figure is in the $3 million range. That money will be used to renovate Dene K’onia, and the estimates that we have from Public Works and Services are that it can be done for that money.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 55-15(4): Cost Of Moving The Territorial Treatment Centre

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I say this with respect, but I wish the Minister had that type of vision maybe to open up our treatment centre here in Yellowknife. We don’t have a Territorial Treatment Centre open. We could have spent that $3.3 million or whatever the actual dollars are. Why don’t we open a facility that this community is in desperate need of, because we have communities sending folks with problems to Yellowknife and they’re getting them out of the community? The cost is unreasonable. So how much is it now going to cost us if we spend $3.3 million in Hay River to renovate Dene K’onia now to fly these kids back to Yellowknife for that treatment as mentioned by one of the Members about the psych treatment, the ped treatment, the audiology treatment? How much extra a premium is this government willing to pay when we could have better spent this money by continuing to deliver a stable service here in Yellowknife? But no, we’re going to spend more money. So how much more money of a premium are we going to spend? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 55-15(4): Cost Of Moving The Territorial Treatment Centre

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it’s not anticipated that we’re going to be paying a premium in the range that my colleague seems to be implying. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 55-15(4): Cost Of Moving The Territorial Treatment Centre

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Are the airlines giving free tickets to these kids that have to come to treatment? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 55-15(4): Cost Of Moving The Territorial Treatment Centre

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, for that question, you’d have to talk to the airlines, I can assure you.

---Applause

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 55-15(4): Cost Of Moving The Territorial Treatment Centre

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I don’t know if I have to say any more. It’s proof that we haven’t obviously thought this out. It’s proof that the consultant hasn’t spoken to the people who have been impacted. It’s proof that no one has spoken to the families or the staff that run these programs, and its proof that we haven’t spent any effort at looking what the full cost of this is going to be. Would the Minister commit to looking up that information and trying to prove to me and some of my good colleagues if this is worth it, if it is viable, if it is even smart? Would the Minister commit to investigating that this is a cost benefit to this government? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 55-15(4): Cost Of Moving The Territorial Treatment Centre

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the implication would be that Cabinet just makes half-cocked decisions. There is a lot of work put into this. This issue has been on the table for many, many months and it has been made after careful and hard consideration, recognizing the implications. Yes, we’ve taken, I think, appropriate care and caution, and in a measured way made this decision. We’ll provide the information, and we’re going to come forward with more detail in the business plan, and we would be more than willing to have the discussion on that detail when we hit that process. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Before I proceed with the next person on the list for oral questions, I just want to caution Members in the language you are using today when you are characterizing the children who may be residents in the TTC at this time. It is a small group. This is a forum which they would have access to and I’ve heard comments like very, very severe challenges and other words used to characterize this. I know that you are not naming specific individuals, but I just want to be careful that we do not use language that offends those people who may be there for treatment. This would be counterproductive for them to hear comments like that.

---Applause