Michael Miltenberger

We see this is a significant economic opportunity in the Northwest Territories. We’re spending millions of dollars building the market with our own buildings and facilities, as well as encouraging private individuals to convert. We support the whole issue of partnerships with the private sector and aboriginal governments as a way forward. The other issue, of course, is the size of the plant and the current volume that’s necessary or that’s available to justify the expense. Indications are that a plant that size is bigger considerably than we would need in the foreseeable future. But there are...

Mr. Chairman, I will just reiterate the commitment to provide that information to committee.

Mr. Chairman, to date we have two projects that work has been done on for the estimated cost of about $240,000. Those are the access roads to the Willow River gravel source in Aklavik and Highway No. 3 vulnerability assessment, and what we are looking at for 2010-11 is the risk assessment of NWT Transportation system using Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Adapting to Climate Change, a risk-based guide for arctic and northern communities. We want to do consultation of stakeholders in communities and all levels of government on the findings of the risk assessment. We are looking at some...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will refer that question to Minister Michael McLeod.

We have done some broad inventories. Very specifically, in the South Slave we’ve worked with the mill down there and we’ve brought a consultant in to look at both the market and the inventory that would be available. And that work has been concluded, I believe.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d refer that question to Minister Michael McLeod. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There are two issues. As we bargain the collective agreements, of course, there’s the issue of parity on those pay and benefits. The single biggest issue where the largest dollar figure is attached is the superannuation pension benefits, because they’re two different programs, significantly different, resulting in that’s where the majority of the up to $11 million would be required. But we are working, on an ongoing basis, I mean, they’re watching very carefully between the two bargaining units to make sure that they are as close as possible in terms of those types of...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The main reason would be that when division came, we basically kept the same systems in both territories and I’m assuming any updates to the technology or the databases would be similar, so there are economies of scale possibly by cooperating and sharing those efforts. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d ask to refer that question to Minister Lee.

I’d just like to point out that it’s two different bargaining units, but all the program standards, all the other health programs and criteria are all consistent. The issue comes back very simply to, especially given the current recession and the circumstance we have been managing our money, of not having the… If we had $11 million free that we could do things with, would this be the issue that we would all collectively agree, of all the list of things we have to do, that this is where we want to put the money? So the issue comes back to having the availability of the necessary resources...