Thank you very much. I think that if the Minister can commit to do that, then certainly going with the old guidelines and procedures it’s just probably a non-starter right now and I think the best use of this money is once we have that discussion, then we can certainly roll it out to the communities. Thanks.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to review Tabled Document 27-17(3), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2012-2013.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was a dramatic weekend in Nahanni Butte, Fort Liard and Fort Simpson. Melting snow and rain have swollen the Liard River to flood levels. The biggest emergency was in Nahanni Butte. Rising waters were lapping at the door of the power plant when finally it had to be shut down. With the power cut off, it was decided to evacuate the residents of the community to Fort Simpson by air and ground transportation. Fifty-two people were moved to safety.

The community of Fort Simpson has really come through. People have opened their homes, volunteered to help and worked hard to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be speaking about fruits, but fruits of labour, Mr. Speaker. The long service awards are being held in the Deh Cho region, most particularly in Fort Simpson today. I, too, would like to offer my congratulations to the employees of the Government of the Northwest Territories who will be honoured for their dedication and commitment to our public service.

The celebration this afternoon in Fort Simpson, which I attended last year, is always good for employers to recognize our hardworking employees, and especially those that have very long service awards. There are 70...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I made a mistake. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 19-17(3), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2012-2013, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 19-17(3) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of appropriation bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When it comes to capital expenditures and something of this nature, it’s always a great concern to myself and some of the committees that I sit on. It seems pretty significant, $105 million of carry-over. We often don’t like to see this. We like to see our capital investment expended in the year that we have, especially when it comes to constituencies and getting these monies expended.

Most particularly, there is some carry-over money for Highway No. 7. I would certainly have liked to have seen that done last year, but I’m pleased to see that it’s just a little bit of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand here and regret that I cannot support a motion of this type. I know that I am not really convinced that this is a right time to have an ombudsman office. As well, I think my biggest concern is I was in the Yukon and the ombudsman office got initiated I think some seven years ago at a cost of around $9 million annually to the government. I don’t think that we can do that right now. The other consideration, as well, is I believe that such a territorial office will be located in Yellowknife again. It is nothing that I can certainly support when it comes to that...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that we report progress.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 19-17(3), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2012-2013. Thankyou.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 3-17(3), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2012-2013, be now concluded and that the Tabled Document 3-17(3) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session in the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.