Bill Braden

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How, then, does this $18 million surplus translate? What does it really mean for us here in the Assembly and for our communities and for the programs and the people that we serve, Mr. Speaker? Does this mean we will be able to look at some other options or some new options in initiatives or spending, Mr. Speaker?

Okay, we're in question period, right?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question this afternoon is for Mr. Roland, Minister of Finance, and it relates to the fiscal update statement that was presented to the Assembly at the start of our day. Mr. Speaker, increasing our surplus for the previous fiscal year from $18 to $36 million is a positive sign. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister if he could explain, in brief, how did this happen? I'd like to think that it was upon the wise counsel and prudent management that committee has provided to the Minister, but I will ask for his answer to what happened. Why are we coming up $18...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier:

Provide a written assessment of the impacts on the NWT of the federal government cuts announced September 25, 2006, and actions to mitigate these impacts in the following areas:

jobs in NGO and government sectors

funding and court solution changes

economic impacts

social service impacts

Mr. Speaker, this deal really is no longer an option for the people of the NWT. It is time for results. What more can we do? The Speaker…I’m sorry, the Premier and his team, many politicians and other northern leaders have very consistently and strongly been on the record that it is time for results, it is time for action. What more can we do, Mr. Speaker, to convince Mr. Andre and his boss, Mr. Prentice, and everybody’s boss, Mr. Harper, and Mr. Flaherty, to convince them that this is no longer an option, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions this afternoon are for the Premier. As many of my colleagues have discussed already, it is in the area of negotiations for resource and finance arrangements here in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Harvie Andre is the latest federal emissary to the NWT from Ottawa to negotiate these deals. I want to express my hope that he will be able to advance this issue. Mr. Speaker, this Assembly, chiefs and mayors have for years now been very clearly on the record with the federal and provincial governments that this is our goal. Resources and wealth are flying out of the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The sessional statement that the Premier read this afternoon was a fine inventory of the accomplishments of the 15th Assembly so far. I am proud of these accomplishments, too, Mr. Speaker, but I think at this very critical point in the Northwest Territories development I want to say that I am frustrated that the truly essential goals that we need as a people and territory, resource revenue sharing, territorial formula financing and devolution continue to elude us. These are achievements, Mr. Speaker, that are long overdue as millions of dollars in resource taxation and...

Mr. Speaker, the Premier, in a news interview in the past few days, said it’s his hope that this is something that could be done within four months. I guess I am assuming here that we might be looking at certain potential election processes that might engage in that time. Mr. Speaker, I would like to probe this a little bit. Is this four months’ time frame something that has been agreed to or discussed with Mr. Andre and, of course, with the aboriginal governments who are party to these negotiations as well, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Ms. Arlene Hache, one of the great advocates of women and family rights and opportunities here in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask some questions of the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko, and it’s in relation to seniors’ housing programs, Mr. Speaker. We’ve heard quite a bit in the last couple of days about a program that enables seniors who have significant personal wealth to be treated as anyone else is who has essentially no income and can have access to housing provided for almost entirely by the taxpayer.

I have heard significant objections to this here in the House. I have had calls from constituents. I have heard it on the media. To...