Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Public Accounts Northwest Territories 2005-2006.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this reference that we highlight the estimated surplus that we were targeting in the last budget reflects the previous fiscal year operations. So it doesn't have an impact on today's fiscal environment. It shows that through our final accounting and the measures taken and adjustments with the federal government, and those adjustments are not directly related to the formula, they're related more to the CRA, or Canada Revenue Agency, and how corporations file their tax and when those final adjustments happen there. So that's the impact. But the surplus...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Apprenticeship Program still exists and is operated through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. However, as a new initiative, we are looking back at trying to step up the Government of the Northwest Territories in the area of apprenticeships and training. We’ve looked at that through all those departments, came up with a number and put it forward to FMB. Unfortunately, it falls under new initiatives. It would be future year requirements and would require some new funding in that area. However, the existing programs are still operated...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are beginning our plans in the sense of how we would communicate and what sort of support we could build across other jurisdictions. More importantly, before we can do that, we need to know and understand the parameters of our own decisions we go forward on; how large to increase or push for an increase in a northern residents tax deduction. That portion of it. So we have to build our case of what we would like to do and move that forward. So we are coming with a discussion paper to Cabinet to follow up on this, as well as to come up with a plan to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, I'll have to say part of it is due to the fact in management of our budget as a government, Regular Members' advice, our own work as we looked at the fiscal environment we operate under and the numbers that have come in. We also end up dealing with some of the adjustments that come after the fact from the federal government on some of our corporate tax revenues, and that also has an impact on those numbers too. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, because it refers to our operating surplus of our last budget, there is some impact in the sense that we book previous year's earnings or revenue into the fiscal year. As well, throughout the year we do adjust our numbers based on revenue indications we get from the federal government. In this case, this money is again for previous year's surplus situation. Our fiscal responsibility policy, for example in this fiscal year, requires us to hold a $30 million surplus to fund our capital infrastructure program. So that's what that money would get to use...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to provide an update on the government’s fiscal position and outlook.

Later today I will be tabling the public accounts for the 2005-06 fiscal year. I am pleased to report that the government ended the previous fiscal year with an operating surplus of $36 million, $18 million higher than the amount projected in last February’s budget. This is good news as a sufficient operating surplus is critical to the funding of our infrastructure plan.

The current interim territorial formula financing arrangements with Canada are scheduled to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under the existing system that we are now under until the next agreement is signed -- and we expect we should have an agreement in place by the time the new federal budget comes around -- the interim formula financing arrangement we are operating under, we get to keep 100 percent of the revenues; or, if it slides the other way, we lose 100 percent. So in this case, there's no further adjustments to those numbers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s not too often I get to stand up and get some good news out there. I’ll take this opportunity today to mention some good news for us here in the Northwest Territories, as well as for a constituent back in Inuvik.

Yesterday in New Brunswick the BDC honoured top young businesspeople from across Canada at the 19th Young Entrepreneurs Awards Ceremony. Out of the 19, the Northwest Territories was represented by one of our own out of Inuvik, Ms. Holly Norris.

---Applause

She started, along with her partner, a business called Delta Sun Services in Inuvik. It’s a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Public Accounts Northwest Territories 2005-2006.