Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for that non-answer and if he wishes, I’d be happy to make all the information that we’re getting, we have been getting in the committee for public consumption, because, as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing in there that is anything other than a big song and dance on behalf of the project. The Housing Corporation is so enamoured with this project they are failing to do the due diligence on a project as big as $200 million.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Housing Corporation. It’s in regards to the number of questions that I have been raising about Novel housing. Mr. Speaker, I know that the questions and the statements I’m making on this issue are working to improve this project if anything, and anything I can do to improve this project, if this is going to happen, I’d be prepared to take full credit when this is done. So I’m going to continue to ask these questions also, because I’m motivated by lots of calls and e-mails I’m receiving from communities who are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak today about the situations surrounding the overcrowded conditions at Catholic schools in Yellowknife. As you might recall, Mr. Speaker, at the end of the February session we agreed, very reluctantly on my part, to give the Yellowknife Education Facilities Review Committee a chance to conclude its work, as long as the Minister agreed to make some decisions before the June session. With two days of session left to go, we are not any further ahead than we were. As I expected, and any reasonable person looking at the situation should have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.

Please provide an independent analysis of the comparison between the cost (per unit and per square foot) of the average Novel housing as proposed by the government with brand new manufactured/mobile homes of similar size and quality, taking into consideration the possible volume discount advantages that could be had by ordering 830 mobile homes from any company in the industry.

It’s scandalous for any government to go with a project that big and not do any analysis. So I ask the Minister again, why would he not do an independent analysis, hire somebody and do a real comparison? Because if he wants help, I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that the best number he has shown us in committee is that Novel housing will cost about $117 per square foot and I think he owes it to the people of the Territories and the potential owners of these homes that he asked industry what could they come up with, something close to that number with mobile homes. I’m not talking stick built...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would certainly expect that when he has created an ADM position -- and I know he’s got people working a lot on this project -- then I would expect better comparison and better analysis and better numbers than going by anecdotal evidence. Mr. Speaker, what evidence, what has he done to compare the advantage and I want to be shown the advantage? I’m prepared to support this as long as there’s an advantage that he says there is. So I would like to know is he prepared. When would he do a comparison between this Novel housing with what’s in the market in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s wonderful to see a gallery almost full today and I am sure they will all be recognized in due course, but I just want to say a special congratulations to the grads of community health representatives work.

---Applause

I admire and congratulate all women, but I just want to read a note that was sent to me by a husband of one of the graduates who asked me to read this, but I didn’t get to read it in time and I just want to say it’s for Anita Pokiak from Ernest Pokiak. “Tell her I love her and she’s a wonderful wife and the greatest cook. Even when she’s away there’s...

Thank you. Just a few short comments to add to this, Mr. Chairman. I think Mr. McLeod is right when he said that around here we lose the concept of money. We throw around $100,000 here, $200,000 here, $200 million like it's just numbers, you know, and $330,000 is at least $100,000 more than my house is worth. Three hundred twenty thousand would get us at least three teachers, or at least five special education assistants. It would get us at least three Novel housing, according to the Minister of Housing's math. It really is a lot of money. On the basis of what we're hearing, that is not...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to be satisfied with that, but given the Minister’s answers in the House last week, which seems to suggest that this decision is not as far in depth and breadth as they should be, I think that this was quite a decision. The courts said that the board violated natural justice, basically saying the process was denied. The board failed to ask for rehearing when it should have. The board failed to give notice to Mr. Valic when it should have. A tribunal fettered its discretion, meaning it didn’t do its job. The tribunal did not look at the details...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak in regards to the WCB’s policy toward those with chronic pain syndrome and the implication of the Valic decision.

Mr. Speaker, from my reading, this is a groundbreaking decision that requires substantial changes to the WCB policy and its failure to allow for permanent and partial disability to those with chronic pain syndrome at all levels of adjudication. It is not a good thing in administrative law, Mr. Speaker, to be told that a decision body was patently unreasonable, violated natural justice, it's fettered its discretion and it has...