Joe Handley
Statements in Debates
Mr. Chairman, yes, I believe in some cases they were negotiated. For example, if we need expertise as a negotiator from outside on devolution, let’s say, then we wouldn’t have a tender call for that. We would look for someone who has that particular expertise. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, as the Member can appreciate, when we did up our briefing books and totals, we don’t have the full year for 2003-2004. Up to the end of February 2004 there was $298,835.12 spent on travel for negotiations. For other travel -- and this is all the other categories I had mentioned before -- up to the end of February there was $114,502.06 spent for a total up to February for this 2003-2004 year of $413,337.18. Mr. Chairman, if we go back to the 2002-2003 year, the number was $705,212.26. If you want to compare a full year with a full year. Thank you.
Yes, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I will certainly take the Member’s message to the Power Corporation and ask that they look at it immediately. The people of Colville Lake have brought this issue to me as well. If there is some alternative to what we have now that would be less costly, we would certainly like to look at that. I think this is something the Power Corporation would take on quite quickly, as well as other partners who help with energy conservation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Chairman, for example, if you take contract services for devolution, then there is $245,000 in 2004-05. That includes $100,000 for a negotiator, $50,000 for an individual who is doing some background research for us, and there’s another $95,000 for two companies who are doing some other research and communications work for us. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, as you can recognize, it depends on the negotiations happening. We would typically have a chief negotiator, an assistant negotiator and legal counsel travelling together to a negotiation meeting. Depending on what is under discussion, you could have a lands negotiator there or you might have an implementation negotiator there, but that would depend on the agenda. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, this one is following up on political commitments made in the Beaufort-Delta area on capacity building. Last year we did provide money to them, although it wasn't budgeted. This year we're budgeting the $200,000 to continue on with our obligations in that area. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the present strategy with the Power Corporation is to try to increase the size of our customer base and the amount of power we sell. If we are selling more power, then that helps to cut down our fixed costs that make it more economical for everyone. Though I think, Mr. Speaker, in answer to the Member’s question, we can tell people in the small communities and throughout the Territories that if we are able to put together these deals which result in us selling more power through the Power Corporation, earning more revenue, then we would have more capacity to be able to deal with...
Mr. Chairman, we’ve already gone through the detail. If Ms. Lee wants, I can just give Ms. Lee the page rather than reading into Hansard a second time.
Mr. Chairman, I will ask Ms. Snider to explain that budget item. Thank you.