Bob Bromley

That’s ringing bells now. Have the values of the bonds gone up or down?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In some ways similar questions with the adults in residential care. These are increased costs. What are our total costs, and while we’re at it, is this also sort of uneven year to year, or is there any kind of a trend here? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, March 14, 2013, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that this Legislative Assembly recommends to the Commissioner that a plebiscite be held in the Northwest Territories on Monday, May 13, 2013, with the following question: “Should the Government of the Northwest Territories sign the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Final Agreement?”

Thank you.

Thank you. So this would be something like an 8 percent increase over the year, projecting a little bit here. Recognizing this, what’s the projection that we’ve used for ‘13-14?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve dealt with a constituent on an issue with the Minister’s office, where paperwork was repeatedly lost, bills, proof of income and the like. Meanwhile, a woman seriously disabled by a tragic accident was left without food, piling up debt and shivering in the cold, literally. So, again, how is this possible, and what does it take, and where is the dignity in this? Can the Minister answer that question? Mahsi.

Mr. Chair, that’s why I wanted to confirm that we have three more years of increases that is above this rate to go. Thank you.

I suspect we can conclude a little more than that, but I’ll leave it at that. I would say, also, that clearly is not 67 percent. It’s $200 million. In fact, as the costs go up, the proportion paid for by the Government of Canada goes down, despite the fact that the Minister indicated that the project would not proceed unless it was 75 percent. That’s an observation, but a concerning one. Is there not a policy, could I ask the Minister of Finance, that we’ve generally adhered to in the past where the Government of Canada in fact pays for the road building and GNWT pays and looks after...

Undoubtedly the reason this Minister is such a great Finance Minister. The federal government has committed 60 percent of the project, 67 percent, $200 million. Obviously that’s not full cost. In fact, the federal government has said explicitly that anything beyond this must fully be paid for by GNWT. Am I correct in assuming that if we are $40 million or $50 million or $100 million over, that would be fully the responsibility of the GNWT?

Thanks for that information. So we will, for sure, have that money for consideration during our fall capital budget, that $40 million for other expenditures. Just looking for confirmation again. Thank you.

I do have quite a list of questions, so I will let my colleagues have a chance to speak here. I would note, in any projects that I’ve undertaken, it’s always the easy part that gets done first. It’s the last 10 or 15 percent that’s the most difficult. I’ve found that to be true, in fact, with our pricing of infrastructure. There is no way this bridge is only going to cost $299 million but – sorry, this road will cost that much, but I will be asking more questions and looking for more details on which to base a decision.