Kevin O'Reilly

Frame Lake

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

I would like to thank the Minister for that commitment. As I said, I hoped that the criteria would include things like the number of jobs likely to be created, greenhouse gas reductions, regional distribution, and balance between physical and social infrastructure.

The Minister has committed to share whatever criteria he has developed with our side of the House. How does he intend to share those criteria with the public?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure. I fully understand that the federal government sets guidelines for its infrastructure programs. My concern is with the lack of transparency on what our government submits. Is there a general call put out to departments? It is just not clear to me.

Can the Minister explain how his department and Cabinet as a whole determines how and what projects are developed, reviewed, and approved for submission by this government for federal infrastructure funding? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Will those charges be part of, then, the financial report that the Minister is going to bring forward for the public briefing, these four double-hulled barges? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, that's great. Can the Minister also bring forward even a rough cost estimate of what these airlifts are going to cost? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I guess I am trying to understand what the difference is between the cash balance and the reserves that are in these two funds.

Can I get a commitment from the Minister to table in the House some sort of balance sheet for each of these revolving funds that indicates what the cash reserves are, what the cash balance is, and so on, so that we actually understand is available to cover off the additional shipping costs for each of these for the items that have to be airlifted? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Thanks, Mr. Chair. That is not a very large balance in either of those funds. Will these balances cover the additional shipping costs that are anticipated for airlifting of fuel and other goods to these communities? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Merci, Monsieur le President. I give notice that, on Thursday, October 25, 2018, I will move that Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act, be read for the first time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Merci, Monsieur le President. A few commitments out of the Minister here today. I appreciate that.

I talked earlier today about how, on the Infrastructure Canada website, it shows that 79 per cent of our federal infrastructure dollars since 2002 have been spent on roads and highways. This has led to a big imbalance. I have referred to this as the "big toys for big boys" approach.

Can the Minister explain this imbalance and how he will work to ensure that more social infrastructure projects make it through Cabinet's processes and into GNWT submissions for federal infrastructure funding? Mahsi...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

I want to thank the Minister for that. It sounds like the mandate, the 20-year capital plan, is driving what we submit, but I had hoped to hear that there were some other kinds of rigorous analyses around the number of jobs that would be created, greenhouse gas reductions, regional distribution, and a balance between physical and social infrastructure. If the Minister has these criteria that he and his Cabinet colleagues use internally, can he share those with this side of the House?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Merci, Monsieur le President. Back in March, the Minister of Infrastructure announced the signing of an Integrated Bilateral Agreement for federal infrastructure funds. The 10-year Investing in Canada Plan would see $761 million spent in the Northwest Territories. There are apparently more federal infrastructure program announcements to come. My concern is how projects are selected and how submissions are made by Cabinet. Regular MLAs have little, if any, input in how the priorities or submissions are determined.

Data on the Infrastructure Canada website shows that each of the three territories...