Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 43, An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill increases the amounts that may be borrowed by the Commissioner to ensure the Consolidated Revenue Fund is sufficient to meet lawful disbursements. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We appreciate the comments from the Members in regard to the lowering of the cost of living, which would be a way of improving services. We are very committed to that. I’ve indicated now quite a number of times, as we look at our borrowing limit we need to make these critical investments that are going to help us lower the cost of living and there are a couple of things that we can do and we are focusing on those. One is the cost of energy generation and look at how we do business. The other one is critical infrastructure that promotes economic development like the...

Yes, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will try to be brief and I will not repeat all the things I said the first go-round. There were some consistent themes here about the borrowing limit, the sustainability of our budgets and the need to start making those hard decisions now, which we concur with.

In regard to Mr. Bouchard, he asked for some history and information of the borrowing limit, how did we get to where we are and just note for the record that we will provide that information to committee. He had some queries about the ice road, the Tibbitt Lake-Contwoyto ice road possibly being converted as a...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I was under the understanding that we were going to respond every third… Thank you.

Yes, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 43, An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, be read for the first time.

The ability to put out a franchise call is the community’s responsibility and right. They’ve done that. We can’t speak to the past. There is a current one coming out. We’ve been asked to consider bidding on it and we are considering that and we’re looking at it, as we discussed in this House earlier this week.

I would just point out that when it comes to the NWT Power Corporation, and I believe all of us in this room, we would see that provision of electricity is an essential service and the same as we deliver and we look after all the fuel in the small, off-road communities to ensure that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to observe first, though the budget address is replete with references to the cost of living, an issue that the Member raised earlier in the House and about the McLeod government not paying close enough attention. I would suggest when you read the full budget address you would note that it’s replete and I’m somewhat offended at the fact that the Member didn’t notice that when he perused it in great detail because they are standout in significant numbers.

As it relates to the issue that the Member raised, I think the fundamental piece that we’re looking at as...

I would argue that we have shown an enormous interest and support for alternative energy in the communities. In the Member’s riding, for example, we have been working very, very closely with the communities. In Fort Providence, for example, and Fort Resolution to formalize forest management agreements that is going to allow the business opportunity to put in a $20 million pellet plant, creating not only environmental benefits but a huge economic opportunity. We lead the country in biomass applications here in the Northwest Territories. We have put in a significant array in Fort Simpson. We are...