Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been many challenges in the construction of the airport, being weather, quality and quantity of material. However, we have recently completed a change order with the organizations that we’re working with to complete the airport this summer.

We’re going to complete the move into the new health centre. The individuals that are currently housed in the H.H. Williams will remain there until the spring of 2016. Prior to that date, we will be placing them outside of H.H. Williams and then the Department of Health and Social Services would then have an opportunity to determine whether or not the H.H. Williams is surplus to the government.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are evaluating the needs of the staff for office space at this time when the people from the old centre go to the new health centre. We recognize that there are approximately…well, at this time exactly 57 people that would have to be housed outside of the new health centre, so we are looking at all of the possibilities including refurbishing the clinic, which will be moving to the health centre, to accommodate some of the staff in there and maintaining the current lease that we do have that accommodates 11 staff members. We’re looking at a location for another 23...

Mr. Speaker, the department doesn’t mismanage projects. I don’t believe that this is one that was mismanaged. I will check into the allegations made here by the Member. I’m sure that everything is done according to the regulations, according to the standards. There are certainly a lot of regulations surrounding any sort of electrical work. We will ensure that is done within that. I don’t believe there is mismanagement.

I can advise the Members if there are any issues out there, but I don’t believe there are. It’s difficult for me to respond to a question when the Member is assuming that things...

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, I don’t have the details of the contract that the Member speaks of. It would be difficult for me to determine or indicate whether or not all the work has been signed off as good work by the department. My understanding is that these individuals that were doing the work are professionals. I know that the staff that are inspecting the work are professionals. My assumption is that if the staff is signing off on work on the Deh Cho Bridge, then the work is done to proper standard. Thank you.

Yes, I will commit to that.

Thank you. One of the piers that was repaired on the Deh Cho Bridge, we have confirmed that there were three issues with the pier underneath the water. What had happened was that after the repair work was done, we had taken photos of the repair work. Unfortunately, we only obtained two photos of the three areas. We’re going back down when the season is right to look at that pier. That’s my understanding of the pier and the rock that is around the pier. There is some work that needs to be done. There’s some holdback on it.

I’m not aware that we are requesting $4 million to complete work. If...

This has been a very likely project. As the Member knows, it was back in 2009 that we got the money from the federal government for the Building Canada Plan so that we are able to complete this project. With all of the issues that were pertaining to the airport itself, we have been concentrating on that. The information on the actual terminal itself, I don’t have with me, but I would be pleased to provide that information to the Member. But I can assure the Member that the department is serious about completing the project. The project has gone on for a significant time and we’ll be working...

As I indicated, there was an issue with the material and the quality of the material and the quantity, so what we are doing is we are bringing in some crush material and we’re going to blend the material to complete the airport. It would be all of the work that would be required to have the airport at a finished stage. As I indicated, we have completed the change order and the work should have started four days ago, actually. That’s what the change order indicates.

Certainly, we are looking at that. The clinic itself is a good building. Whether or not it will be used for health, it most likely would be feasible for the government to retain as office space, but for this purpose and at this moment we are looking at the possibility of housing the individuals that are moving from H.H. Williams outside of the refurbished clinic as well.