Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Highway No. 7 is on the books for the next four years — $10.6 million, roughly $2 million a year. That funding is now coming out of strategic initiatives.

The Trout Lake Airport extension was removed as one of the choices made because of the physical challenges, which we’ve tried to explain to committee. We are continuing to look for funding so we get it back on the plan. We know the need is still there, and it will make its way back. At this point, though, we are pursuing funding.

I don’t have any information before me on the renovations for the health centre, but by...

I’m sure there are some very pointed questions that have some possible implications here. I want to be careful. This negotiated contract process was followed. It was supported by the Gwich’in in Inuvialuit, the mayor and the folks in the region. It’s within the Gwich’in Settlement Area, where we have an agreement for contracts. It has followed due process. It was brought forward through the appropriate channels and was approved based on the support from the Inuvialuit, Gwich’in, MLAs, the mayor and all the required community people.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Member’s comments about the process. To try to address some of the issues that we’ve now talked about, I would just like, for the record, to note, if I could — it’ll take me about 30 seconds — that the Deh Cho, between 2009–2010 and up to 2011–2012, will be getting, according to this, $20.806 million; Hay River riding, $74.320 million; Inuvik Twin Lakes, $138.225 million; Mackenzie Delta, $2.745 million; Monfwi, $7.295 million; Nahendeh, $10.3 million; Nunakput, $12.360 million; Sahtu, $49.976 million; Thebacha, $28.610 million; Tu Nedhe, $7.365...

No.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just to reaffirm, the issue of the evaluation process will be dealt with as we come forward with a full package of recommended changes that are going to be brought forward by the infrastructure committee.

The issue of equity among communities and regions is, of course, one of concern. We want to ensure that we are trying to meet the needs in a fair way. I would like to point out that we do have a $28 million infrastructure agreement and contribution to the communities that’s done on a base plus formula. It now gives communities a significant amount of money that they’ve...

Last year was for a portion of that $115 million.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week a number of concerns and questions were raised by Members about the pricing of fuel in the Northwest Territories and the degree of competition in the Yellowknife retail fuel market.

The first step in assessing a situation should be to review the available information. The Department of Finance has compiled information on gasoline and diesel fuel prices in Yellowknife and other major cities in Canada from its own database and from outside sources. Unfortunately, these numbers are not available for heating oil.

The department conducts quarterly price surveys of...

I wish to table the following document entitled Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2009–2010. I also wish to table the following document entitled the Yellowknife Gasoline Prices. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Document 93-16(2), Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2009–2010, tabled.

Document 94-16(2), Yellowknife Gasoline Prices, tabled.

I appreciate the Member’s enthusiasm for getting ahead of the parade, but I’ll just once again ask him to have patience. I’ll be coming forward with a Minister’s statement that will speak to those issues. Then we can engage in any number of questions that the Member may have.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is aware, we’ve been doing extensive work on this particular subject since we were formed as a government. I intend to come forward in this session with a major statement on that issue, and I’ll be prepared to put that information before this House at that time.