Michael Miltenberger

We, as a 16th Assembly, laid out some very fundamental, basic and laudable principles to address some of those issues. If there is an interest and need to look at that and how do we reconfigure some of our program areas, and if we have to coordinate differently, then I think there would be an opportunity and need for some further discussion with the Members, maybe the Social Programs committee, to get a better sense of how we could collectively look at how we’re going to possibly readjust. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We appreciate the Member’s comments. We are committed, as a government, to working with the communities, through the arrangements. We do have a huge commitment to empowerment and making sure the money flows directly to the communities, recognizing there’s going to be, from time to time, extraordinary or catastrophic situations that require the territorial government to be there, to backstop and to work in collaboration with the communities to sort those issues out, and the commitment is that we’re going to continue to play that role. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as Minister McLeod indicated, communities will not be abandoned. There are opportunities for support under other pots of money, emergency measures money. If there are extraordinary circumstances, then, as the Minister has committed to, the communities will not be left on their own trying to deal with these unplanned extraordinary events. Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Over the long term we all agree we want to get in the same place. We recognize that we’re in a time of transition. The Nordic countries, to be sure, have advanced their case much faster over the generations than we have. But as we look at the significant $60 million investment to alternative energy that we are putting out there with a plan with biomass and all these other areas for alternative energy, we must recognize that we still have to maintain the current infrastructure as we transition to a different type of energy generation and, hopefully, distribution. Thank...

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, the longer-term plans and the formal training for folks will, as well, be built in and reflected in the various business plans. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There would be information contained on that in the business plan that was presented to committee. Thank you.

That may be a step that we would want to consider first, though I would suggest we have some discussion as a Legislature to see what our thinking is and have our own plan so that when we stand up to the federal government to ask them to do something, we know clearly what we’re doing back home and how we think that should be better reflected on the national stage. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Department of Transportation will be looking at issues related to roads. We also have a broader mandate with some marine, as well and making sure that there’s consultation. With the communities, we recognize very clearly that there are some key communities that are going to be targeted by shoreline erosion, and significant dollars have already, over the years, been spent there. As the polar ice cap melts and they say the water levels are going to rise and the severity of storms increases, it’s going to be an issue that’s going to require more and more attention.

I...