Michael McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ll be very brief. I’ve said most of what I had wanted to state on this project. Of course, practising good government, we’ll live with the will of this House.

We do have concerns, though. We probably would not be in this situation if the facility that we call the Perry Building had not developed some serious concerns, some structural defects that would force us to abandon that facility. It’s not really an issue of pathetic planning. It’s just an issue where we really didn’t have and we still don’t have another place to go. There is one other small space that the Member...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We don’t see any potential for market disruption in this case. There is very little vacant space. It’s not the same as the comparison that was made with Yellowknife, where there is vacant space, and in order to undertake a project of this nature, we would be disrupting the market by not providing opportunity for the proponents that had space. In this case we have a number of buildings we’re housing our employees in, some with structural problems; for example, the Perry Building that was referenced. There is limited occupancy there. The landlord has discontinued...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The rationale for not moving forward on this project is because it wasn’t ready to start construction as we had initially planned, because there was a functional review of the facility that would include some enhancement and some renovations and things of that nature.

We are still quite keen to move ahead with this project. We still think that it is of high priority. The Department of Education is moving forward with their functional review. We expect to do the design. We will put emphasis on getting the design done, and I can certainly commit that I will take it to FMB...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is important, I think, to point out that initially Diamond Jenness was targeted for a midlife retrofit. Our department, the Department of Public Works and Services, did a midlife review and a technical evaluation on the project. We provided a report that indicated it would cost around $21 million to retrofit the building completely. We were prepared to move ahead. However, the midlife retrofit would not accommodate any new program areas or new changes in design. It would be renovated to the specs and design that it is currently in, and we would not allow for any...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have over the last number of years invested very significantly in the area of Sahtu. It has probably received the most investment in terms of bridge work. We put in many bridges that would see the road season extended so that people could take advantage of it, and the oil and gas industry can also utilize this piece of winter road. We also had partnerships with many of the companies that the Member has mentioned to enhance the road, to keep it safe, to keep it stable and also to extend the season.

The Bear River Bridge is a project that has had money identified...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think all the Members recognize that the dollars allocated in this program are a far cry from what is actually needed to be able to accommodate all the different projects that are territorial in nature that are happening in the larger centres and in the small communities. We will consider all projects as best as we can. We’d like to be able to follow some of the earlier strategic initiatives that were put forward in terms of submissions to the federal government. We’d like to hear what the Regular Members have to offer in terms of recommendations. We’re open to...

Mr. Chair, as the Members are aware, we had a very busy year this year working on the Building Canada Fund, first of all to sit down and negotiate with our federal counterparts the framework agreement that spells out the different areas that would be considered for investment and the different issues that we’d have to negotiate. Following that, we did come to a successful conclusion on the dollar amount and the criteria areas that would be considered for investment. We also put together the listing of projects that would be brought forward for consideration and negotiation with the federal...

Mr. Chairman, the process would be that once this budget is passed in this House, we would move forward to signing an agreement with the general contractor, and he would also sign agreements with subcontractors. That information would then be solidified, and we could speak with confidence as to who the actual subcontractors are going to be. As of yet there is no agreement with these subcontractors, and there won’t be until there is a contract in place.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled GNWT Response to CR 2-16(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Auditor General’s Performance Audit of the NWT Housing Corporation. Thank you.

Document 106-16(2), GNWT Response to CR 2-16(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Auditor General’s Performance Audit of the NWT Housing Corporation, tabled.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all, I should point out that the description used by the Members of this House to describe our roads is a little unfair. Our roads are all considered to be safe. We may have a few potholes and not open year round, but we have different categories of roads. We have winter roads, gravel roads, roads that have chipseal. They all require investment.

I think everybody in this House recognizes that most of our transportation infrastructure and highway system is at the point where it needs to be reconstructed. They need to have investment and investment dollars that...