Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

The Member is aware of the response to his petition that the former Minister of Health and Social Services wrote to him, and we will honour the points and the content of that commitment, that written response to his petition. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 12, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 6, 2010-2011, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

As I indicated in the previous answer, the intent is over the life of this current fiscal year to get the work done and have it ready so that when the new 17th Legislative Assembly comes into place and the government is up and running, that they’ll be able to consider the results, findings and recommendations as they look at the 2012-13 business planning process. Thank you.

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012, be read for the first time.

As the Member encourages us to expand the programs here in Yellowknife, I just want to point out that I recollect sitting at that witness table and listening to the Member’s deep concern that we were going to overspend our supplementary reserve, and cautioning us and urging us to be fiscally prudent and responsible, which we’re trying to do.

Mr. Speaker, there will be a process. I don’t believe the consultant has been picked yet to do this, but there will be work with the current midwives, the medical community and stakeholders. They’ll be taken across the Northwest Territories to see what’s...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 16, 2011, I will move that Bill 20, Vital Statistics Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Neither department is withdrawing from the committee. What we’re doing is suggesting that there be a more appropriate change of status that would allow them to get more involved in a more effective way.

I’m not familiar with that request and I’ll have to do some work to find out what exactly the status is, so I will take that question as notice.

There was some funding available in the budget that was recently passed to look at expanding respite services outside of Yellowknife. It was a modest amount of money, but it was a start. As I’ve indicated in this House to the many questions that we’ve had and requests for program enhancements, be it midwifery or addiction services or other facilities to be built or other program areas, as we all know, as I indicated in my fiscal update as Minister of Finance, we have significant fiscal constraints that precludes us at this point from engaging in any significant new program expansions. Keeping...