David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m just wondering on the North Slave Correctional Centre, the flooring replacement, that building is not that old. It’s coming on eight years, I suppose. Why would we be needing to replace the floor for $141,000? I guess the second question would be why couldn’t what would be a project that you think would get done in one year couldn’t get done? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to comment briefly on the $135.9 million in carry-overs for infrastructure projects. I’ve given the government credit in the past for its infrastructure plan and the new way it looks at capital projects. Maybe what I’m really looking for is a comment from the government on this. Even at 34 percent, it’s still a large number that we’re looking at carrying over. It’s $136 million. I’m just wondering if we have a game plan going forward. I know we’re going to revert back to more historic numbers a couple years from now and that’s $75 million a year in...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just had a question on the million dollar investment with the partnership program with Wilfred Laurier. The question I have is: there has been a lot of research done in the Northwest Territories. Now, the question of ownership, who owns that knowledge at the end of the day I think is important to know. I just maybe would like to ask a question of the government. Who is ultimately going to own the report or the knowledge that is gleaned from this research work that is going to be done? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a question on the first one and that’s $1.093 million for additional costs to incur as a result of the collective agreement between Hay River Health and Social Services Authority and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. I’m just wondering if the government has any plans going forward to bring those employees under the authority of the Government of the Northwest Territories. Currently they are outside of the other employees and I’m just wondering, seeing as we’re spending another over $1 million, I’m just wondering if anybody has a time frame on when that might...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya, that Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act, No. 3, be read for the second time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Elections and Plebiscite Act to implement recommendations of the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures following up on its review of the report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the administration of the 2007 General Election.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve been here for almost seven years and I’ve never heard this Minister or a previous Minister talk about this issue publicly. I’ve never seen a Minister of Health and Social Services come before standing committee and share the concerns of the Government of the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, I believe the Minister of Health and Social Services has an obligation to the people of the Northwest Territories to protect them, to make sure that they have access to the services available in Edmonton and that is at the City Centre Airport, Mr. Speaker.

I’d...

The patients will be looked after once they arrive in Edmonton, that’s not the case. The case is with the City Centre Airport closing down. The international airport, as everybody knows, is about a 40-minute ride into the city of Edmonton, and if you require STARS air escort into a major hospital in Edmonton, that’s 30 minutes and at a cost of $2,500.

The Minister didn’t answer my question. What is it going to cost the Department of Health and Social Services should the City Centre Airport close in Edmonton? I’m talking about ground ambulance and STARS service into a major hospital in Edmonton...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize, as well, Mr. Bruce McLaughlin, former Minister, former Member of the House.

As well in the gallery today is Ed SchlemKo, director of flight operations for Airco from Edmonton, Mary Anne Stanway, who is with the Kingsway Business Association in Edmonton, and Dr. Joseph Fernando, aviation medicine specialist.

I guess if the Minister is going to get that information, I’d like to know, given the fact that that’s an institution, I mean the flooring that would go into a facility like that should be of a grade and a quality that’s going to stand the test of time and not need to be replaced six or seven years out. So maybe if the Minister could find out if there is any kind of warranty or any kind of provision for whoever put it in to help in the replacement cost of it, that would be great. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to raise an issue today that I believe is something this government cannot continue to ignore. This issue is the impending closure of the City Centre Airport in Edmonton.

The City Centre Airport receives approximately 4,500 medevac flights per year from northern Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. About 1,000 of these flights originate in the Northwest Territories. Of the 1,000 flights, typically 10 percent are of a critical nature. The Cross Cancer Clinic, Stollery Children’s Hospital and other health facilities at the University and Royal Alexandra...