Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Boot Lake, that Bill 6, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2010-2011, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes the Government of the Northwest Territories to make infrastructure expenditures for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents titled Public Accounts of the Northwest Territories Interim Report for the Year Ended March 31, 2009, and Interactivity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 for the period ending April 1, 2009, to August 31, 2009. Thank you.

I believe we are well established into the 21st Century. I have indicated to the Member some of the things we are doing directly. Indirectly we are paying very close attention and working very closely with the folks involved in the broadband initiative. It involves Industry Canada and Vulcan. We are very committed to making sure that this is a successful endeavour. Thank you.

We have done work on cell phone service and looking at what we are doing, what the potential costs and challenges are in looking at other communities. I would be pleased to share that information with the Member. Thank you.

In fact, we are soon going to be processing and recycling our 100 millionth container in the very near future. The issue is to encourage people to bring back the containers. I agree with the Member that there is possibly an opportunity to look at a stronger message about not drinking bottled water at all in conjunction with the communities’ education and health to promote the benefits of drinking local water. I will pursue that with my colleagues. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of all the things on the to-do list, the answer would be, regrettably at this point, no. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure today to recognize some of the many people that helped work on the Water Strategy from the steering committee made up of representatives of the aboriginal governments. We have Richard Binder from Inuvialuit Regional Corporation; Joe Acorn, Deh Cho First Nations; Tim Heron, NWT Metis Nation; Joline Huskey and Eddie Erasmus, Tlicho Government; Mardy Semmler of the Gwich’in Tribal Council. From INAC, our close partners, we have Tricia Merrithew-Mercredi, regional director general; Sevn Bohnet, Tricia Melander-Forde, Michele Culhane and Bob Reid...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Boot Lake, that Bill 6, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2010-2011, be read for the third time. Thank you.

Yes, I will, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Looking back over the years it would seem that our bigger challenge is the tendency, especially on capital projects, to underestimate and it’s something that we’ve worked very hard to come up with a process to be more accurate. This particular trip is unique, one of a kind.

A couple of years ago I was in Italy and I remember paying $10 for a cup of cocoa. So when I looked at the per diems, I thought for the amount of time we’re all going to be there it may not be a lot and I know our hotel rooms, for example, are to us very expensive but the norm, probably, in Europe...