Jackson Lafferty

I can certainly share that with the Member. I don’t have it in front of me today. But it does break down on whether it will be the foundation, the actual structure of the building itself. There are many aspects of the project itself, so we need to have the breakdown of the actual cost of the capital project.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. At this particular school, the Diamond Jenness, there’s been some work on the technical status evaluation report that was worked on in 2003, 2006 and 2008. There’s also an educational plan that is underway.

We do have our consultants going through the community tomorrow to meet with the DEA to go over the materials that need to be discussed on the educational plan. That report will be available to the community DEA and to the Member as well. Those are the works that have been undertaken with the capital projects we will be discussing here. We need to have a plan in place...

I’m not sure where that $140 million is coming from, but I can provide that information to the Member. I need to go back to my department to get the actual figures of the negotiated contract, if that’s a negotiated contract in the community of Inuvik. We need to have that information before us to know if it’s $140 million or if it’s another number.

Yes, there is a contract that’s been awarded to work on the Inuvik school.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this year the Government of the Northwest Territories increased funding to the arts through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in the amount of $500,000.

The $500,000 increase included in the 2008–2009 budget will benefit both existing and new programs, including those offered by the NWT Arts Council, the Support for Northern Performers program and the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre. Community heritage centres, cultural organizations and various cultural projects around the territory will also receive increased funding in recognition of the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act, be read for the third time. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, we make those arrangements every time we meet with the communities, whether it be the schools or other departments if they come along. We meet with certain resource people. We do initiate a public forum, as well, and community meetings, leadership meetings. So, certainly, those we’ll take into consideration when we visit the community. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, we’ll certainly keep the Members posted, particularly the Member for the Aklavik area. We need to look after our teachers; we need to look after our professionals. And it’s not only us. The NWTTA has also stressed concerns over this. I’ve met with them. So there are all different parties involved in this particular case. Once we make progress, we’ll keep the Members posted on what’s happening, the progression. We’ll hopefully find a solution for this case. Next Monday is approaching already, and we need to deal with that. Mahsi.

That is one of the areas that we are focusing on as the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. We’re working with the Housing Minister on this particular case. As the Members would know, we are in a housing crunch in the small communities, especially the most isolated communities. Dealing with staff housing for teachers…. They’re struggling to find suitable units, and it is our concern.

We’re doing what we can to try to come up with a solution. One of the solutions, possibly, will be a loan guarantee from the NWT Housing Corporation. We are pursuing that. We are focusing on a...

Certainly, I will make a commitment in this House to meet with the Minister responsible for the review, PWS. Once that is initiated, whatever I can share with the Member and the local DEA, I’ll certainly do that. At this point I need to sit down with my counterpart at PWS to discuss it further.