Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I will devote my Member’s statement to the life and memory of Cal Mains. Mr. Mains is survived by his wife of 55 years, Alice, his daughters, Catherine and Anne, and his son, Sandy. Our condolences are extended to them at this time.

There is much to be celebrated of his life and his contribution to the North. Mr. Mains first moved to the North in 1950, serving as an RCMP officer in the communities of Aklavik, Herschel Islands and Tuktoyaktuk before retiring from the staff sergeant position in 1969 in Fort Smith. He also served for a time in the Yukon.

After retiring...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was actually interested in the terms of reference of the program review. I would like to know — and as I have indicated, there have been add-ons to government infrastructure — if there is funding available through other sources or through community resources to incorporate other activities — maybe not specifically into high school education — into buildings that are being built. Like I said, since we’re delayed now, anyway, on this capital project…. Not to muddy the waters, but I think it would be good to put out some kind of a call for anybody who may have input in...

My questions weren’t on that page. What page are we on?

Interjection.

I know when I chaired the Cultural Enhancement Commission, there were members of the commission who wanted to see everything around the Legislative Assembly cleared, brushed, but I guess it was the intent of the architect who designed this building at the time to keep as much area surrounding the Legislative Assembly as natural as possible. Might I suggest that with the lake out back and everything else, it has been left very natural.

I personally would not have any problem with looking at some fill for that area out front there. We have a large piece of land here, and a large portion of it is...

Is there an overall plan not just to repair what is there now, perhaps, but to look at additional parking out there as well? Now, I know a while back we put contractor parking in over here and so on, but it’s still disappointing to me in some ways that if we ever do have an event here…. We try to encourage the public to participate in activities that go on in this building. It is the people’s building, and it is always disappointing to me that the parking around this building becomes such an issue when there’s any event.

Now, I know there was an intention to try to preserve the integrity of the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe the wish of the committee is to continue on today with the capital acquisition document. I believe we’ll start off with the Legislative Assembly and then resume where we were on the list yesterday. I believe we’re going to ECE next.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services if she is aware of a rating system that rates all hospitals in Canada. If she is, could she tell us where the U of A sits on that rating? I think they sit at the top.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister has referred to the replacement of the schools in Inuvik, and I do not dispute that schools in Inuvik need to be replaced. You know, the Premier said they have been on the books since he was elected 13 years ago. Well, the problems in Diamond Jenness have been around as long as I have been here as well.

I would like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Services: what is the priority of this government — the comfort of government employees or an environment that is good for the educating of our children?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are about capital projects in the Northwest Territories.

I believe that when we are considering the priority placed on capital projects, the highest priority is the protection of people. To that end, I have been trying to get tabled in this House, or given to me or given to the education authority in Hay River, the air quality reports that were done at Diamond Jenness after it was discovered that asbestos was in there.

I have been told that perhaps I am asking for the wrong report. Maybe it’s not air quality I should be looking for; it should be the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d appreciate that.