Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As to the numbers, the paper that’s been handed out to Members now, the total space used now is 4,488 square metres. That includes government and non-government. The portion of the government usage is split out and, as I read out earlier, the amount of square footage that are occupied by GNWT users and then the square footage by non-GNWT users. There are sections of the building that was involved in a fire in the past and sections of that building have been not used since then, and it’s not our intent to renovate that portion of the building or to do the repairs to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that fact is that NorthwesTel is the only largest service provider in the Northwest Territories for our phone systems, aside from cell phones and so on. We are of the opinion that the Northwest Territories is a high cost service area, and that needs to be recognized and continue to be recognized. If it happens to be NorthwesTel operating here, they'll be the company that would benefit. If we have other companies who want to get involved in the North, we would look at that as well. Our position is that the Northwest Territories is a high cost area and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a result of the Member’s work and questions earlier in this House, I have already contacted the Department of Human Resources that deals with pay and benefits section. They are trying to make contact with the Tlicho Community Services Agency and their CEO and we will begin that process as soon as we can set up an appropriate time to get together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Department of Public Works and Services is the department that’s been in contact and dealing with the fire marshal’s office. The letter that was sent to one of our senior project managers was dated in January 2006. The fire marshal’s office has been involved for some time before that. It is an unfortunate situation where we are in the position we are. Ultimately, much work has been done, so the department has been dealing with this. It’s not like this is parachuted in and going to take over other projects. On an annual basis every department can put...

Thank you, Madam Chair. It is from our own source. That’s why we’re voting it in in this manner. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as for the planning and how it got through to this stage, the client department would have to probably best answer that. The square footage, I would have to come back with that number. I know we have it, I just don’t have that level of detail with me. The information I’m provided is the existing renovation estimates based on an estimate done in 2004 is $12 million. That’s for the facility as it is. To replace the facility with the same size as being used and occupied right now with government and non-government occupants, is the $20 million. For just GNWT...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The over-expenditure of $230,000 within the Department of Transportation, as I stated in my opening comments, was due to the fact that we had an unseasonably warm winter, which the department on a normal basis would have budgeted for salt materials and materials for runways to keep them clear, as well as keep the runways safer for planes landing as well. For winter roads, it took more maintenance to keep them operating as long as they did and that was the reason for the over-expenditure. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the new facility would have to incorporate the Dehcho Education Council, Education, Culture and Employment’s regional office, Aurora College program delivery administration, the Department of Justice and the community wellness worker. The other occupant of the building would be the community library, the Multimedia Society, cultural centre, day care and Fort Simpson Historical Society. They would not be housed in a new facility. I don’t have the exact square footage. It would not be the same size, as a lot of the building right now is unoccupied because...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have to correct a pretty fundamental thing here. I had referenced that these would be going forward. In fact, they are tied to a three-year strategy. So it isn’t ongoing. A big correction there. Looking at our information here it is, in fact, tied to the program. So it would lapse at that time. If there are further programs that bring more dollars to the North, then that would be reviewed and brought back to this forum. So that is the situation that the request is going forward for. So it would be tied to the three-year strategy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in discussions with the fire marshal’s office, the minimum amount of upgrade required if we only intend to use the building for another two to four years is what’s been identified. If we intend to use it beyond that timeline, then we have to upgrade the rest of the code requirements that are put in place, and that’s where we get into the $12 million figure. To meet the minimum requirements that we have been directed to, we’re looking at the $3.5 million. So ultimately it’s if we were going to go beyond the two to four years, then we’re going to have to...