MLAs delay education budget over CamBay school

MICHAELA RODRIGUE

IQALUIT — The Nunavut legislative assembly has stalled its approval of the Department of Education’s capital budget in a call for more information about money allocated towards construction of a new high school in Cambridge Bay.

The Department of Education plans to spend $7.9 million this year towards replacing the Killinik high school in Cambridge Bay. The estimated total cost of the new building is $14.7 million.

Some of that money will go towards an expanded gymnasium and a cultural centre. Those features are expected to cost $920,000.

The community is raising 20 per cent of the $395,000 that it will cost to expand the gym by an extra 100 square metres.

The Nunavut government expects to receive $7.5 million in insurance money from the burning down of a former high school building in Cambridge Bay to contribute towards the cost of the new school.

More money, from the Kitikmeot Heritage Society, is available for the cultural centre, but the Nunavut government will foot the majority of that bill.

Why so much for Cambridge?

The project provoked numerous questions from some MLAs, who asked why the government was spending capital dollars on extra features in one community, when schools in other communities are already overcrowded or in need of repair.

“When basic school needs are not being met in so many communities, why do others appear to receive facilities and projects that are far beyond the needs of the communities?” Iqaluit Centre Hunter Tootoo asked in a members’ statement.

On Wednesday, MLAs passed a series of motions that called into question how the Department of Education allots its capital dollars.

One recommendation, made by Qutikktuq MLA Levi Barnabas, would halt “any capital projects that include extra items such as heritage centres in schools, larger gymnasiums in schools, or additional architectural designs, which add expenses to the building without adding significantly to the core school function.”

Barnabas’s motion said such projects should be delayed until a 20-year capital plan is complete. Those recommendations are now before cabinet.

Decision deferred

Debate was stalled again the next day during a committee of the whole session, when MLAs voted to defer approval of the education department’s capital budget for the Kitikmeot region until they had more information about the Cambridge Bay project.

After returning from a meeting of regular members, Tootoo made a motion to defer further debate on capital estimates for the Kitikmeot until the government can commit that “any community in Nunavut raising 25 per cent of the capital cost of a new larger gym from sources that are not funded by the government of Nunavut will be assured that the Department of Education will also contribute 75 per cent of the capital cost of such a project.”

In his motion, Tootoo also said members want to review the design of the new high school in Cambridge Bay.

Speaking to reporters later, Tootoo said it will save the government money to do the expansions now when the school is first constructed, but he said each community should have the same opportunity to raise money towards extras when their turn for work comes up in the 20-year capital plan.

“The intent of that was to ensure that all those communities, when their turn comes, have the same options available to them,” Tootoo said.

Nunavut-wide policy?

But Education Minister James Arvaluk said he doesn’t want to create a policy that forces all communities to raise 20 or 25 per cent of a capital project.

“Can Grise Fiord, a community of 150 people, raise that kind of money?” Arvaluk asked?

Arvaluk said he would welcome any community raising 25 per cent of the cost for extras but he said his department still has to consider whether it can guarantee the remaining 75 per cent.

As of Nunatsiaq News press time no further debate took place.

The controversy surrounding the new school hit Cambridge Bay MLA Kelvin Ng who earlier in the week shot back against Tootoo’s statement and defended the project.

“I don’t begrudge what the town of Iqaluit has in respect to the many facilities it has, as I know there is a need for those facilities. Otherwise why would they be there?” Ng said.

Ng went on to defend the expanded gym, stating it will be the only full-sized gym in the Kitikmeot. He reminded members that the high school that burned down in 1998 included a cultural centre.

He also said the Nunavut government should commend and support community initiatives to promote culture.

When asked if any community that raises funds should be given money for extras, Ng said it would have to be studied on a case-by-case basis.

“Right now, I think we’re receptive to community initiatives. We’re in a financial position where we can be a bit more accommodating,” Ng said, adding he hopes that continues.

Cambridge is picked on?

Former Cambridge Bay Mayor Wilf Wilcox said the community is feeling “a little bit picked on,” and he said people are forgetting how much of the community’s own money and effort has gone into this project.

“It’s not like it’s free and easy to our community,” Wilcox said. He said the community is now trying to raise $79,000 towards the expanded gym and the Heritage Society is also contributing money towards the cultural centres.

“The school is another example of the community pulling together. We get MLAs from Iqaluit saying ‘oh look at those guys there,’ and they’re getting their third school in as many years,” Wilcox said.