Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to follow up on the Thomas Simpson and Bompas Elementary schools in Fort Simpson. I know there were discussions about a pellet boiler being considered for replacement there. Has a decision been made yet on that project?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to make a brief comment on the K’alemi Dene School project, which is scheduled for completion this year.

I was down at an event at that school on Friday with the Minister of ITI and can certainly testify that the current school is brimming over with young little people. So it will be very good to see this project completed this year. I’m just wondering if there is a schedule for when K’alemi Dene School will be completed and ready for occupancy.

That’s good news. I can’t help but observe that we’re dealing with the symptoms first here rather than the cause. I think it’s always important to consider that climate change is the cause of many of these things that are draining our capital dollars away, so the more we get on with the mitigation side around the world…. I know we’re working to play our part here.

I also appreciate the water heating idea; I think that’s very good. Obviously, this building does present challenges, and that’s part of what I’m happy to hear we’re grappling with, because that’s a real situation that many of our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you very much to the Minister for that commitment. This, again, is very costly all around if we don’t act. These are disasters waiting to happen. Rather than fiddling while Rome burns, I’d like to see some action. Does the Minister agree that this is an appropriate role for the Housing Corporation to play and that they have a responsibility under these programs to do this?

Mr. Speaker, thank you for those comments from the Minister. That, too, is my understanding, and that’s the starting point for this discussion here. The Yellowknives Dene have raised this issue, as I said, over the past eight months on behalf of these elders who are low income private homeowners. Has the department assessed their tanks, and have you developed a schedule to replace those tanks according to the expression of concern and the tens of thousands of dollars this is costing both the Yellowknives Dene Nation and us?

I’d also like to recognize a page, Kathleen Falck of Weledeh, and I’d like to thank all the pages for the great service here. I think one of our Members today learned protocol from one of the pages on his way into the House, so they’re doing their job.

Did the original call for proposals include the potential for biomass, or was it more conventional? Was there a stipulation there?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That’s all.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s actually another couple of pages before I get to it.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to let you know I would also have a question for the Speaker on the Legislative Assembly.