Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for Mr. Dent as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and it concerns this government’s support, hopefully continuing support, for a pretty important part of infrastructure in this community and that is the building leased to the YWCA, the Rockhill Apartments. Madam Speaker, this houses a number of families and some of them in crisis and on emergency basis and other programs the YWCA provides. The lease that this government has arranged with the Y is coming to an end about two years from now, but it is a very important facility of the Y and they have been seeking some certainty about the continuance of this lease. There has been some concern over getting a process going to help this through. I wonder if the Minister could advise on the status of arrangements to secure a continuing lease with the YWCA. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 86-15(4): Support For YWCA Rockhill Apartment Lease

Charles Dent

Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The lease, in fact, doesn’t come up for another three years, May of 2008. So there is a considerable amount of time for us to work at determining whether or not to renew that lease. The more salient issue is the requirement for repairs to the building. That is something that is currently under discussion by Public Works, ECE, the Housing Corporation and the other players who were involved in setting up the lease in the first place. It’s an issue where we are going to have to examine what the best approach is and try to find the best solution. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 86-15(4): Support For YWCA Rockhill Apartment Lease

Bill Braden

Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. Indeed, even with the three-year period left in the existing lease, the Rockhill apartment building, while it’s in reasonable shape for a building its age, there may be some more renovations that are required of it. It takes, as we well know, Madam Speaker, a couple of years to scope these things out, budget for them and get them into our capital planning and budgeting process. So the picture that the YWCA is looking at is for some kind of firm process that they can count on to get this decision made. Will the Minister be working to achieve that with the other departments involved? Thank you.

Further Return To Question 86-15(4): Support For YWCA Rockhill Apartment Lease

Charles Dent

Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have to work in concert with the other departments. Health and Social Services is also involved in this process. We have to come to some agreement about the renovations, because Public Works and Services tell us that renovations are critical to the continued occupation of that building in the not-too-distant future. They don't have to happen this year or next year, but we shouldn't be signing a subsequent 10-year lease for the building if there aren't some important renovations done.

The issue of the renovations and whether or not we should do them or look for new space has to be settled first. That is the point that we are in in these discussions, whether or not this government is going to embark on a process of renovating that building or if we are going to perhaps look for different space. I can assure the Member that we are working to resolve the situation well in advance of the May 2008 deadline.