So more specifically, then, if the contractors who are involved in this incur additional costs because of the six week delay and getting into colder temperatures and so on, just for the benefit of the public who are interested, these additional costs will not be borne by the Government of the Northwest Territories. In fact, the fixed price contract stays.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also want to talk about the tax revenue options paper that was put out by the Minister of Finance — really quite an extraordinary waste of time. We might as well have been asked to go out and ask our constituents if they’d like us to poke them in the eye with a sharp stick.

Given the fact that the cost of living is at a historic, astronomical high level and we’re going into the winter season here, what a catastrophic waste of time to discuss this. If the government really had any ideas about a resource pact, then the time and effort would have been better invested in...

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask Mr. Miltenberger which part of what he’s heard from the representatives of our constituents on this side of the House today could possibly, with regard to the tax options, be considered misleading? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Finance. The Minister has put out a revenue option paper. He has held a round table with representatives from many territorial organizations. I’d like to ask the Minister: from his discussions to date, what is the appetite like for a resource tax in the Northwest Territories that could address this gap in finances that they have been referring to? Will he be bringing forward a response to the resource tax? What’s the downside?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank Mr. Miltenberger for that explanation. I do concur with him that there were some almost statements of fact about these taxes having been a foregone conclusion on this side of the House today. So if you perceived that, I hear you; I did perceive that a little bit too.

They are only options at this time. But we want to get in there and tell you that any — or tell Mr. Speaker; I don’t want to speak directly to the Minister. But we would like to make sure that this government clearly understands that it would be the preference under the tax options to be taxing...

As my colleague Mr. Krutko said, the idea of a resource tax has been something that’s been out there for a long time. No government has had the courage to introduce it. I would like to ask Mr. Miltenberger, as the Finance Minister: is he aware of any downside to this government raising revenues through a resource tax?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are back. It is October 1, 2008. We are on the threshold of another northern winter. Something largely on the minds of almost every Northerner is the almost certain increase in the cost of living. News reports tell us that the cost of food is going up. Demand on a global basis exceeds supply, and prices will reflect these realities.

The price of crude oil is volatile, and we are vulnerable to economic issues far beyond the reach of our control. Home heating fuel and gasoline have seen record prices in recent weeks. In the North we are particularly affected, given our...

Mr. Chair, the wish of the committee is to deal with everything you’ve just listed in that order.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad this motion is being brought forward today. I, obviously, support it. I think we could spend a lot of time and money reviewing the BIP again. In fact, the BIP does not cost this government very much money.

As Mr. Hawkins said and as the motion says, if we delete the BIP or get rid of it, we will not have an opportunity to get it back. Most companies that are bidding…. Where it’s northern company against northern company, a preference or a premium does not even come into play. So in fact, it does not cost this government anything. I think the dollar value that’s...

Mr. Speaker, again, as we learned through the Deh Cho Bridge project, when you have a proponent that is a private corporation, transparency becomes an issue, as does our government’s ability to control some matters like procurement.

I would like to ask the Premier if any policy developed by this government that is related to public–private partnerships would include an element that would speak to the issue of northern participation.