Robert Bouchard

Madam Chair, I hope that those projections come close to those numbers, because if they don’t, we’re going to be in difficulty.

My next question would be towards the other taxation indicators which all show an increase. To expect the economy in the Northwest Territories to be picking up currently, is that one of the reasons we are expecting increases in all the taxation areas?

Okay. For my clarification, the numbers that we’re looking at the past have a large payment made to the federal government. Is that correct?

Thank you, Madam Chair. My comments on this department will be mainly on the revenue summary and the projections that are projected for this year’s main estimates. I’m looking at most of them and most of them are showing a positive side. I’m looking at the difference from the revised estimates and main estimates, and I’m showing an increase of $132 million. My question is: If those numbers don’t materialize, where will we be without that?

I’d like the Minister and the department to maybe explain where some of these projections are coming from. The Minister has indicated in his opening...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My next question is the estimated cost of delivery of some products to the North and to Yellowknife and beyond. Does the Minister have any indication of the costs these tolls will have on commodities in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you. As my colleagues have indicated some of the concerns with the high cost of the bridge, one of my questions is what has been removed from the bridge project that was in the original design of the bridge?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Continuing with the main theme here on the Deh Cho Bridge today, I have some questions for the Minister of Transportation. What is the expected time of completion or payback on the mortgage or bonds that we currently hold on the Deh Cho Bridge?

My last question is about the grant from the Government of Canada and the increase. Can the Minister indicate what the main reason is for getting a larger increase? Is it because of the increase in population? Is it the way they calculate it? Thank you.

My next question would be: If we don’t attain that number, what affect does it have to the bottom line, I guess, and how do we recover if we don’t meet that level?

Thank you, Madam Chair. The biggest concern that I have is this large amount between the projected amount and what we’re currently collecting in corporate income tax. Can the Minister indicate a little bit more detail on how we are calculating that number and why is there such a big discrepancy in that number?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a couple of brief comments as well. I think one of the biggest factors in this department is devolution. I think it’s one of the keys to the future of the Territories and one of the progressive things that we’re looking at doing. Along with this devolution are also the concerns of what that brings for the future, what existing things that we’re signing right now with the federal government, what will we be able to change, what will we not be able to change.

The other thing that one of my colleagues mentioned was decentralization and the potential of jobs for...