Statements in Debates
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I don't know. Based on what's in the current budget here and there are probably some start-up costs, it's probably safe to assume that probably somewhere between $2 million and $3 million has been spent to support this board. Look, I know some of the people who serve on it, the staff. This is not about the performance of any of these individuals. This is about an institution that has been set up and has nothing to do, quite frankly. I know I asked the Minister questions about this back in March. This board was set up under the previous Harper government. It was sort of...
[Microphone turned off]
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Someone might want to start the clock going, but just can someone confirm for me that this board has been in existence now for eight years and that it has never, ever had a dispute brought to it? Is that correct? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. One of my favourite areas, land use planning, it brought me up here in 1985, and it's almost as long as the Dehcho Land Use Plan has been in development. It's now been in development for 20 years. I asked the Premier about this in June of last year in connection with a decision that the government had made to make permanent the subsurface land withdrawal for Edehzhie. Can someone give me a brief update of the Dehcho Land Use Plan and why it hasn't been completed after 20 years? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I have some questions about the 911 program. I know that, when the legislation was passed in the last Assembly, there was a cap placed on the fees that were going to be charged to phone lines. I think it's $1.70 and it's in place for three years. The fees clearly are not covering the cost of the program. Where is the rest of the money coming from? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I can provide some assurance that they don't really seem to line up. I am looking at statement of operations. It has very different numbers in terms of expenses and revenues than what I see on 360. I am just trying to figure out how these two relate to each other. Why don't I just cut this short, Madam Chair? If you guys would actually present stuff in ways that were understandable, it would be far more helpful. Why don't I just seek a commitment out of the Minister to provide a written explanation as to why the annual report figures differ than what is in the main...
Thanks, Madam Chair. I guess if I ask the question, I have got to live with the answer. I don't find that an acceptable response, though. That it would take more than four years to actually implement this. That is just totally unacceptable, so I just leave that on the record. One of the other pieces of legislation that the department is apparently working on is the Property Assessment and Taxation Act. I served on Yellowknife city council from 1996 to 2007, and we were talking about the necessary changes to that legislation when I was on council. That is at least 13 years ago, maybe 14 years...
Thanks, Madam Chair. I was talking about a different line item, but I think I have a better appreciation for it now. I'm just curious, though. There was an annual report for the Western Canada Lottery Fund that I think was tabled in the House by the Minister on November 5th, and there is just one line item here about revenues. Why is there no sort of page in here that discusses money in, money out for the Western Canada Lottery program? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I'm just more than a little bit worried about the pace of this. I was in the last Assembly. We passed the changes in August of 2019. That's more than a year and a half ago now. I know COVID has obviously slowed things down. Has the department identified any resource needs, financial needs, for community governments to implement this legislation, and if so, is it found in this budget? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Why would we expend the $650,000 in 2019-2020, which probably was the year, then, that Arctic Winter Games were held? Can someone explain to me why these figures are flat when, last year, the one in Whitehorse was cancelled? Thanks, Madam Chair.