Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few moments to speak to the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link Project, or MVFL.

On January 12, 2015, the government took the first step towards removing the limitations of our current communications infrastructure. The Fibre Link Project will allow Inuvik to become a global remote sensing site, enable our government to improve our programs and services, particularly in the areas of education and health, and allow many more of our residents and businesses to join the 21st century and communicate in real time with the rest of the world.

Mr. Speaker, the first winter...

In this particular cycle, the session that we’re currently in is about a week or so earlier than normal and it squeezed us for time because of year-end and such. We agree with the Member that we would like to make sure that on a go-forward basis we hit the timelines that Members are given and have enough opportunity to thoroughly review the information so we can have a fulsome discussion. We’ll make sure that we work with the Legislature and committees on our planning on a go-forward basis when we look at dates. Normally when we look at dates of session, these types of documents don’t sort of...

There are two things. We’ve booked the number, a fixed amount as a liability that we have responsibility for, and we’ve built into our yearly budgets to the base at this point roughly $2 million a year to start working away at the remediation of the various sites as the work plan dictates. Thank you.

Yes.

Yes to both questions from the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. What will happen in the broad sense is the $25 million will be booked and will be able to be tracked through the public accounts on a yearly basis. We’ll look at the ongoing work during the year.

As far as we are aware, yes.

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think it’s a reflection of a number of things. ITI, we have a fair number of parks, all these projects that are underway. As you will notice, they cover a good range of the Northwest Territories. In just about every place, as the Member pointed out earlier, there are circumstances, for whatever reason or case-by-case that resulted in projects not quite getting completed. The amounts of money per park are small and it is anticipated that these will be completed this season.

The other thing I’d point out, especially in the smaller communities these types of projects are...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents, entitled “Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2014-2015,” “Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2015-2016” and “Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2015-2016.” Thank you.