Maria Canton
Northern News Services

Cambridge Bay (Apr 24/00) - The Cambridge Bay school project was approved last week after threats that missed sealift deadlines would delay the building for a year.

Two weeks of debate in the legislative assembly over the estimated $14-million project came to an end with the members -- except Iqaluit Centre MLA Hunter Tootoo -- voting in favour of it.

Tootoo abstained from voting, saying he didn't want to hold up the process, but that he doesn't feel all questions have been answered.

"I believe that education should receive top priority and I didn't want to vote against the project and I didn't want to hold anything up, but I'm not happy with it," said Tootoo, after the legislature took a break for the Easter long weekend.

"The basic foundation is already there and I know nothing can be changed without effecting the entire plan of the school."

Tootoo, as well as several other members, had questions regarding the "extras," such as an enlarged gymnasium that the government has agreed to put $300,000 towards.

"All of us want a school in Cambridge Bay, it isn't fair for us to penalize the students and going from building to building must be hard, but we wanted to see if we could get the prices lowered and figure out design costs," said Tootoo.

A gravel pad and pilings have already been established for the new school in the Kitikmeot community and high school vice-principal Judy Cherniak says the school and the community are extremely pleased with last week's vote.

"It was very, very good to hear that the project was approved," said Cherniak.

"Our biggest fear was that the debates would delay approval for so long that it would be too late for this year's barge."

In the midst of the lengthy and sometimes heated debates, Premier Paul Okalik and a few other members, who visited the community on business, also held a public meeting.

"Community members were very upset with the talks about the school and a lot of people came out to the meeting," said Cherniak.

"Students came too, and many of them got up to comment on the necessity of a high school."

The original Kiilinik high school was destroyed by fire two years ago. Students have been using five portables as temporary classrooms since that time.