Debates of June 8, 2006 (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Charles Dent. I would just like to have the Minister clear the air on some outstanding issues for myself and some other residents here in the city of Yellowknife. It gets back to the Yellowknife Facilities Capital Planning Committee. On May 19th, there was a press release that was inadvertently issued and caused some concern in various camps about the status of the committee’s work. I would like the Minister, if he could, to clarify what his position is in terms of the facility’s plans for the future of education needs here in the city of Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Return To Question 92-15(5): Facility Needs Of Yellowknife Education Boards

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at the end of the first week in May, I did receive the Yellowknife facilities report from the committee. The next day I received a phone call from one of the boards asking if an offer I had made previously to facilitate a bilateral meeting between the two Yellowknife school boards was still open. I confirmed that I would be prepared to have such a meeting facilitated. That was set up. It took place. At that meeting, the Yellowknife District No. 1 agreed that they would take some time to review their position and put in writing in a letter to me what they might be prepared to offer. So at that point, that was where things were left.

The press release the Member refers to, leading up to the facilitated meeting there were a number of different drafts of press releases prepared to be ready should one result or another happen. That release was never approved by me for distribution or posting on the web and should not have been there. I understand that it has caused some concern, but, Mr. Speaker, at this point I am still ready to continue to try to work with the two boards to see where we can get in this process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 92-15(5): Facility Needs Of Yellowknife Education Boards

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s obviously clear that both boards, the YCS board and YK No. 1, have to be treated fairly and the needs have to be addressed. I would like to ask the Minister what he intends to do from today to the start of the school year to try to address the needs of both YK No. 1 board and the YCS board. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 92-15(5): Facility Needs Of Yellowknife Education Boards

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am prepared to put efforts into working with the two boards, but I think to be fair it has to be recognized that there is not likely to be a resolution in terms of space by fall of 2006. All of the parties have agreed at this point that we are working towards the fall of 2007. I am prepared to continue efforts. I have recently received a letter from the Yellowknife Catholic Schools that calls into question their willingness or interest in continuing this process. I am going to have to check on that. If there is an interest, I would be quite prepared to put every effort into working personally to try to resolve this issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 92-15(5): Facility Needs Of Yellowknife Education Boards

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess the question I would have to ask the Minister is he says things are going to happen, things will be resolved. I would like to get a commitment from him that both YCS’s needs and YK No. 1’s needs will be resolved and I know the Minister just said it’s not going to happen by this fall, but when are the issues here surrounding space in Yellowknife schools going to be settled once and for all? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 92-15(5): Facility Needs Of Yellowknife Education Boards

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I say that the issues might be resolved, I am afraid, Mr. Speaker, that I can’t say that everybody is going to be satisfied with the resolution. I do believe that we have been working towards a resolution. I don’t know if we are still in that position today. We may be in a situation where we haven’t got an agreement to work any longer. I am going to have to confirm whether or not that’s happening and then we’ll follow up on it. It’s my goal to try to have a decision made by the parties at one point or another. I think it’s important to point out we have two elected boards in town here. The one board has a surplus of space; one board is short of space. It’s in their interest and they have to find some way to work together to resolve that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 92-15(5): Facility Needs Of Yellowknife Education Boards

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister believe it’s fair to allow the two elected boards, the YCS board and the YK No. 1 board, to be basically pitted against each other to figure this out? What is the Minister’s role exactly in trying to rectify the situation that we find ourselves in here in Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The first part of that question is asking the Minister for his opinion, but I will allow the Minister to answer on the second part. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 92-15(5): Facility Needs Of Yellowknife Education Boards

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said, both the elected boards have ultimate responsibility for dealing with their constituents. If they are not satisfied with how things are happening, then they have to sit down and try to resolve that in their areas of influence.

Mr. Speaker, I am in a situation where we have, as I said, we have a board that has a surplus of space and one board that is short of space. We need to make sure that we have partners who are willing to work together and I am hopeful that we will. Thank you.