Michael Miltenberger

Yes, the Member is correct; the contract was for $1.459 million. The amount of money in that program area that the Inuvik Health and Social Services had in their budget was $842,000, so a $547,000 shortfall that they have been covering off as an authority and running a deficit to do that. They’ve reached a point where it’s no longer fiscally sustainable, and as we try to adjust and have realistic budgets, this funding area, clearly, was underfunded. Hence this request and an ongoing target adjustment of this same amount for both facilities of $850,000.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The payback is estimated to be five years, and yes, with the solar technology available, when they’ve measured the technology available to measure the benefits, we’ll be looking to do that so we can learn from this investment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is not a base adjustment to the contract per se. The contract, as the Minister pointed out, has been fairly consistent in its cost. What this is, is an adjustment to the program area in the budget of the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services where they had a certain amount of money for a contract that was inadequate to the tune of $547,000, roughly, and has helped contribute to the accumulated debt of the authority. I’ll ask Minister Beaulieu to speak to the… He already mentioned it, but I’ll ask if maybe he’ll go over the cost over the last number of years...

Yes, Madam Chair.

Yes, they absorb the costs that contributed to their deficit reaching the point where we need to recognize it and do this base adjustment. But it’s because they didn’t have the appropriate amount of funding in their budget to cover that cost.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 14, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2013-2014, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, the bill authorizes the Government of the Northwest Territories to make infrastructure expenditures for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. What is before the House is really to cover a base adjustment to a contract cost that has been absorbed to this point by the Beaufort health and social services system that, as the Minister has pointed out, has helped contribute to their significant deficit, which is now in the neighbourhood of over $4 million.

The contract, as the Minister pointed out, was let. The contract prices have been fairly consistent. What has reached the breaking point, similar to the discussion we just had about the Stanton and the kitchen and laundry services there, costs have been absorbed...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, November 2, 2012, I will move that Bill 16, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2012-2013, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 14, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2013-2014, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Chairman, when I get to that question, I will answer yes. Thank you.