Kevin A. Menicoche

While the policy may be there, I don’t believe that it is being followed out, because in our Health department, which is also a stand-alone department, they involved Human Resources right throughout the selection committee and to the hiring committees as well. But there’s no such thing that happens with our education authorities. Human Resources is not involved, nor are they with the selection committee and our interview committee and I think that’s an issue and that’s what I’d like to see our education authorities do. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about the difficulties of our Aboriginal teachers and new northern teachers in getting into our education authorities.

I’d like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to advise me how is the current hiring process set up with our district education authorities. Thank you.

Okay, thank you very much. That’s important information because I’m not too sure how the land is designated. I think currently it’s designated as an educational reserve. What processes would be undertaken here to transfer it to regular GNWT as it were I guess? Is there any difficulties with accessing that land, would be the overall question.

Thank you very much. So it is clear for me, it’s completion in ’16-17 and using the biomass sustainability plan currently.

My other question would be Public Works and Services is responsible for the planning studies for capital projects and the one that they’re particularly looking at in Fort Simpson, as well, is the replacement health centre. I’ve been trying to get some certainty on that work and with the community of Fort Simpson about engaging them in a planning study as we move forward.

I guess one of the big things is about the location of the new health centre. So I know that they’ve...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. As we work with Public Works and Services here just reviewing the much needed Public Works and Services shop replacement here in Fort Simpson and centralizing the carpentry, plumbing and electrical trade space, a couple of questions. In the document here it says shop replacement 2016-17. I just wonder if that’s a typo at all. Most particularly, we’re reviewing capital estimates for 2015-16.

When the Minister is responding, I’m presuming, as well, that he’ll be accessing the biomass steam heating plant for heating the new shop building as well.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to thank the Minister and staff for that answer. I think it’s important for me to hear that definitely it’s not meant to be a long-term solution. As you do the planning study, I think a few things are important to engage the community, to engage the chief and band council and let them know that. Chief Dolphus Jumbo has told me, he says, Kevin, I’ve seen this before. They’ll come and do temporary, but it will end up permanent. I don’t want to lose that stand-alone school that we’ve been working so hard to get. I think that’s important.

I don’t know if part of...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m very happy to recognize my partner, Lucyanne Kendo, in the gallery this week, and also my stepdaughter, Brittany Jewel, who’s showing off her haircut to the whole of the Northwest Territories today. Welcome.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. In the Minister’s previous response, he was talking about schools in small communities and I did a Member’s statement last week. Most particularly for Trout Lake, in the budget here, we have renovations to the Charles Tetcho building. I have consistently made the case that is a community hall that was shared with the school. It looks like the renovations are to make more space for the schooling needs. Sorry, Trout Lake is one of the communities in the North that has a growing population, most particularly from zero to 10 years old, so they definitely need more...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. It continues to be a rough ride down Highway No. 7. Kilometres 0 to 20 were scheduled to be chipsealed this summer, and the contract went out to a southern company. The Department of Transportation told me it had done its due diligence and assured me that Fort Liard and other Northerners would still receive some benefit, even though this contract went south.

In order to secure the contract, the BC company provided certain assurances as to their intention to use services from two northern companies out of Fort Liard. My constituents inform me that this did not occur at...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I’m going to have to check Hansard, but what’s not in the capital budget the last five years is the Trout Lake stand-alone school, so I’ll continue to press that matter. Earlier today in the House, or yesterday, I believe there was a commitment towards the planning studies. So, certainly the community looks forward to it and working with government to find a resolution to a stand-alone school without giving up the need for a community centre, which is valuable for the community of Trout Lake.

Also, I see in the budget there’s two level B, or level B/C health...