Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. These policies are going to be reviewed, renewed and updated, modernized this year and in place and time for the next budget. Thank you.

I’m not sure what type of problems the Member is anticipating. We shifted over fuel operations. This is a fairly routine piece of business. Contracts have been let. We’re in the process of changing to a consignment model and Mr. Kalgutkar has laid out the process. If there is something dramatic that happens that is totally unanticipated, we’ll deal with it. Fairness commissioners, adjudicators, gives this a level far in excess of something of this nature would justify.

Mr. Chair, no, we haven’t contemplated their recommendations being binding. They would cease to be recommendations and that would eliminate all room for discussion or creativity. They may give us a set of recommendations based on what they know. We need the flexibility, as well, to be able to look at those. As we look at the information, we are sharing with committee as well. If they’re binding, it takes away all of our flexibility. I don’t know if we necessarily want to do that. Thank you.

It’s September 2015. This coming September.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s ITI that would have that reflected in their revenues.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am looking at 167. Did I miss a page?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The numbers tell us that yes, we’ve bent the curve a bit on the number of smokers, so we haven’t raised the price of tobacco recently. The one assumption I would make, and I would ask the deputy or Mr. Kalgutkar if they want to add anything further, is that people who are smoking are probably smoking more. I will ask the deputy if he wants to add anything further.

No, Madam Chair. We would have to get that level of detail.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was with Mr. Moses when we met with the Norwegian ambassador and it was the first time I’ve had the opportunity to sit across from a representative of the country that does have a trillion dollar offshore Heritage Fund, Sovereign Wealth Fund that has continued to grow and that reflects their extremely prudent fiscal management and it shows you what’s possible. So I share the Member’s comments that, if we look back far enough, at some point they started with a small pot and nurtured it carefully. So, we have a model that we continue to look to.

As well, I appreciate...

If there is will of committee that they would like some further information on this, we can look at that. The big issue for us – and everyone has seen the budget, the revenues versus expenditures – how do we replace the revenues at this juncture? So we’ve laid out this plan. If it’s the will of the House to have this looked at, we’ll look at it, but I suggest that would be for the 2016-17 fiscal year. Thank you.