Michael Miltenberger

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Oh. I just read 3.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Environment and Natural Resources Framework for Action 2008-2012: Status Report to December 2010.

The work we’ve done in this area has been I think very successful. There’s been significant consultation and the recognition that there are, in this particular issue, three types of bags that are clogging up the landfills and scattered across the countryside. Paper, while in some people’s mind it may be something that’s seen as what’s the problem, is very energy intensive, it’s bulky, it takes up a lot of waste that when you combine it with all the other paper product waste -- for example, the tons and tons of paper generated by business and government or the wastepaper products with cardboard...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we looked at the lifecycle of the plastic bag, the paper bag and even the ones that are called biodegradable bags and compared it to the lifecycle of reusable bags, clearly all three were found wanting in comparison to the reusable, and that while paper may biodegrade in a landfill somewhat faster than other products, it takes more energy to produce and ship, it weighs more and in effect causes just as much waste or more than plastic because it’s bulkier. In fact, we have an initiative currently underway in its second phase where we are canvassing the North to see...

We’re anticipating to start with the one and we’re still working on partnership arrangements with the federal government to get us up to three. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We will carry on under the heavy burden of the Member’s disappointment and we’ll make sure that the Minister of Education is listening carefully to the concern so that next year we can, hopefully, be labouring forward with her approval with a lighter step and a happier heart. Thank you.

This is the first increase to base funding for electricity since 2006-2007.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Sandy Kalgutkar, deputy secretary to the FMB; and Charles Tolley, director of budgeting.

I am also here to present Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 5, 2010-2011. This document outlines a net increase of $800,000 for capital investment expenditures in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

There are two items in the supplementary estimates:

A negative supplementary appropriation of $150,000 which represents the transfer of capital investment expenditures funding to operations expenditures funding for the maintenance costs associated with the NWT Laboratory Information System.

$950,000 for the reconstruction of a section of the Inuvik Airport taxiway. The net impact on...