Michael Miltenberger

Yes, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

I am pleased to present Supplementary Appropriation No. 1 (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2009-2010. This document outlines a reduction of $300,000 for operations expenditures and additional appropriations of $8.5 million for capital investment expenditures in the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

The items for capital investment expenditures include:

$2.5 million for the costs associated with the installation of wood pellet heating systems in GNWT facilities;

$6 million to advance construction of the all-weather access road from Tuktoyaktuk to Gravel Source 177, a Building Canada...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This issue has been given serious consideration, as Mr. McLeod indicated. There is work being done. There is determination of the most appropriate routes, assessment of the gravel source, the quality of the gravel, all those technical issues that have to be resolved. This is on our list and it is being given due and appropriate, serious consideration and as the work is completed, we’ll collectively be in a position to be able to determine the next steps that are possible within the resources available.

The way this new process is unfolding with capitals, at least the first go around, as Finance Minister I was at the table addressing issues. I know there is work underway in terms of a study. There were some dollars identified under the Build Canada money. I don’t know the results of that work and I don’t know at this point what’s being brought forward.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand there is planning work underway, but possibly I’d ask Minister Michael McLeod if he wanted to just speak to that project on the Aklavik project, what’s happening with the gravel source in Aklavik.

In the normal course of events that is what the plan will be. But if the Member will recollect, when we came forward to brief committee in September it was basically in the concept stage that we thought that we could reorder the capital planning process, identify $20 million a year over three years with a proposed list of projects. The commitment was that while it was coming in after or at the same time as the capital planning process was being approved and we hadn’t had a chance to look at this collectively that we would, for the first go around, come back during this particular budgeting...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

I’m not in a position to give many specifics other than we want to work with every community to look at the type of alternate energy project that makes the most sense. If it’s biomass, if it’s wind, those are things that have yet to be determined.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me Margaret Melhorn, deputy minister of Finance, Mr. Rob Taggart, director of policy and planning, and Mr. Ian Rennie, legislative council. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Projects planned for 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 are going to be on the reserve. We’re looking at Fort Simpson, Aklavik, Inuvik, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Buffalo River, Enterprise, Deline, Fort Providence, Lutselk’e, Tuk, Norman Wells, Fort Good Hope, Whati, and Jean Marie River. There will be more communities added as the detailed energy audits and plans are completed.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to present Bill 9, Northern Employee Benefits Services Pension Plan Protection Act.

The purpose of Northern Employee Benefits Services, or NEBS, is to administer the pension and group benefits of participating employers residing in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

This bill provides protection from creditors for the pension entitlements of Northwest Territories members of the NEBS Pension Plan and restricts the ability of members to pledge as security their pension entitlements under the plan.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening remarks. Thank you.