Michael Miltenberger

Yes, Mr. Chairman. I’m pleased to present Supplementary Appropriation No. 2, 2008–2009. This document outlines the additional appropriation of $11.617 million for operation expenditures and a reduction of $43.329 million for capital investment expenditures in the 2008–2009 fiscal year. Major items for operation expenditures include $3.3 million for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs to complete upgrades or replace aged water treatment plants in the communities of Deline, Kugluktuk, Tuktoyaktuk, Behchoko and Aklavik. These expenditures will be offset by funding available through...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That suggestion has been made. We believe, as the Member does, that there is potential there. That matter is currently under review to see how we could do that to meet all our obligations and to put a cost on not doing it as opposed to doing it electronically to make sure that we have the proper records and such. That is a suggestion that we think is a good one.

The money that’s before this Assembly was very specifically targeted for that one purpose only, which was for fire suppression, and it was laid out in the special warrant. As I have indicated, in many cases money that is laid out for government programs is often given a special designation so that there is only one use. Any other change from that has to go back for further approval. So this money here had one use and one use only that it was allowed for.

We’re reaching out to Northerners for all and any advice they would care to give us. For example, the Territorial nominee program for immigration was not specifically listed, I believe, in the options paper. It’s something that we’ve been discussing. Same with the better application of the socio-economic agreements to the mines to get fly in workers to actually live in the North. So, yes, we’re looking for all ideas that could help lead to that.

In the two day round table there was significant longer term discussion about how we better market the Northwest Territories, how we sell the great...

What I have heard people across the land say is that there is a level of service the government provides that they have come to expect and count on, that we have huge needs out there that we need resources to meet. We are taking the steps on the revenue side, but we’re also looking to control our expenditures. Nobody necessarily likes taxes, but we have to weigh whatever taxes are going to be there against the value that they bring for the common good in terms of the programs and services for the people of the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The hope is, of course, that those funds in that area would lapse. If there are other costs in other areas, you’d have to look. There is some ability to move money between activities, but clearly, if we don’t spend the budget, that money would be there as lapsed funds and would either return eventually to general revenue, or if there are other agreed upon expenditures that money can be moved to, they would be considered.

Mr. Speaker, we’ll note the Member’s concern. I think we’re down to less than two weeks now before the election. The issue of the economy and the cost of living has become one of the major themes in the election, and the Premier as well has heard the concerns. We’ll talk about this and how to best approach that particular issue when we have our next gathering tomorrow morning.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There were briefings provided to committee about the potential options on May 27. I quote from Hansard, page 613, a report from the Standing Committee on Government Operations.

“Committee members found that in order to create long-term financial stability for the Northwest Territories, the governments should not only look at reducing costs but also explore options for revenue increases…. The creation of a heritage trust fund…. The committee also encouraged the government to look into alternative means to generate revenue, like taxation of minerals and resources and the...

Mr. Chairman, there is over $5 million in the suppression budget, which we’ve taken basically as an average over the years that has been demonstrated to be enough for your normal year. We’ve proceeded on that basis. This year was an exceptionally hot, dry year. There were a number of major fires, some of them close to high values — at-risk communities, power stations and that type of thing — so it required additional funding. We are very sensitive to and very aware of the concern about special warrants. While we have to act with great dispatch, we’re very careful and make sure we come only...

Mr. Speaker, there’s been work done in other jurisdictions like New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and assessments of the programs by economists, from what I understand, have concluded that while there may be specific short term, minor gains and political gains, overall there are significant political and economic costs once ceilings are put into place.