Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve embarked on a revenue options discussion, not the tax increase option discussion. We met; we had a massive circulation and mail out of the papers looking for feedback.

The round table was very productive. It brought together a very interesting group of Northerners from organizations across the North that don’t normally spend a lot of time together to talk about the issue of revenue options. There’s very strong commitment to the North and building the North. There was no unanimity when it came to the issue of, clearly, taxes. I’ll be coming forward with a report...

Mr. Speaker, one of the proposals was a potential $30 levy on all southern air travel. But, clearly, especially with the mines right now, there is a socioeconomic agreement, bilateral in nature, that we are working with. The Minister of ITI is engaged in those discussions, and the issue of the fly in/fly out, having workers in the North, is at the top of the list to assist us.

The estimates are that if we can work closely with the diamond mines, then we can start bringing, we believe, up to 100 workers a year, to have them, in fact, start living in the North, because there is going to be enough...

Mr. Speaker, I don’t have an exact figure, but it would be millions of dollars. The Member for Kam Lake had some numbers that he has used, but it is a significant amount of money. It is leakage south that we want to try to capture and keep in the North.

WHEREAS the Supplementary Appropriation No. 2, 2008–2009 document has been tabled in this House;

AND WHEREAS the supplementary appropriation document requires detailed consideration;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Tabled Document 75-16(2), Supplementary Appropriation No. 2, 2008–2009, be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following documents, entitled Building for the Future: Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Annual Report 2005–2006; and NWT Housing Corporation Framework for Action 2008–2011.

Document 73-16(2), Building for the Future: NWT Housing Corporation 2005–2006 Annual Report, tabled.

Document 74-16(2), NWT Housing Corporation Framework for Action 2008–2011, tabled.

Mr. Speaker, I’d be happy to make the commitment that we’ll look at the information from the Yukon. When we come forward with the business plans, as we talk about a strategy for biomass, especially for the diesel communities, we want to look at every option in terms of how we can best cut costs and reduce dependency on oil.

Mr. Speaker, as Northerners we value and rely on clean waters and healthy aquatic ecosystems for our spiritual, cultural and physical well-being. It is one of our most valuable resources and will only increase in value and importance as sources diminish.

As we all know, wetlands, deltas and water flows throughout northern Alberta and the southern Northwest Territories are changing. We know these changes may be affecting the fish, moose and other life in the aquatic ecosystems. One of the major issues relates to the pace and scale of development within the Mackenzie River Basin and the potential...

I wish to table the following document, entitled Northern Voices, Northern Waters: Towards a Water Resources Management Strategy for the NWT.

Document 66-16(2), Northern Voices, Northern Waters: Towards a Water Resources Management Strategy for the NWT, tabled.

We have a fairly extensive list of programs, especially on the alternative energy side, working with the Arctic Energy Alliance and through ENR, where there are funds available for different type of things: energy-efficient applicants, vehicles, woodstoves — those types of things. We have some funding programs available to assist with home repairs for those people whose income meets the test. We have home repairs for seniors as well. I would be interested to see the information that the Member has picked up from the Yukon.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to rise today. This is my 13th budget, going back to the last century. This is truly a budget “first.” This is the first time there’s been debate on second reading and a move to potentially vote down a budget before it even hit the floor of the House. This is, if we check Hansard, the most amended budget, I believe, in the history of the Government of the Northwest Territories in terms of the amount of give-and-take, money in and out, accommodations that were made. This is definitely the first time I can recollect, maybe with one minor exception, where there’s...