Tootoo grills Picco on school safety

After the dramatic roof collapse at an Inuvik school last week, Iqaluit Centre MLA Hunter Tootoo wants to know whether Nunavut’s schools are safe. He directed his questions to Education Minister Ed Picco during question period in the legislative assembly last Thursday.

Picco assured the assembly that all school roofs in Nunavut had been checked for snow-load following the collapse in Inuvik, and that regular inspections and maintenance were the responsibility of the Department of Community and Government Services.

Tootoo then demanded to know whether every school had had a complete safety inspection in the last three months.

“I noticed that the member does not seem afraid or frightened or terrified to be in this building which is a government-owned or a government -leased facility operated for and by the government of Nunavut,” Picco said.

“I am not afraid to be in this building,” Tootoo replied. “It is only four years old. Some of the schools that we are looking at… are over 30 years old.”

Picco promised to provide the legislative assembly with details on when the last regular maintenance check-ups occurred.