Statements in Debates
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Bison normally come into the community. I was actually on a constituency tour with the Member a couple of winters ago, and there were actually bison right in the community. We work closely with the community of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte to try to address this issue. In Liard, when bison come into the community, we try to herd them out by the local renewable resource officer, and we are considering a similar program in Nahanni Butte.
If bison do not leave and pose a public threat, they are removed by ENR or a community member with a bison tag. If the bison are removed...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I was a little worried there for a second that it might not happen. I was at a meeting with David; I don't know if he's up here, but he's probably listening. I was sitting there and I was introducing my staff, and for the life of me I forgot his name. He was sitting right here, and I'm thinking, "I should know his name." So I don't know if committee realizes, a lot times we come before committee. Whenever I introduce David Stewart, him and I, we have a little smile; that's where that story comes from.
Colleagues, it's been an experience with all of...
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not sure. I will have to have those discussions. If there is any kind of opportunity to work with industry that wants to make a profit but, at the same time, provide opportunities for northern people and northern businesses, then we have to work with them. What that consists of, I am not sure at this moment, but I had an idea that this is where this was going. The Member has clearly indicated his non-support of a capital budget of $417,000,000. That is going to provide opportunities and infrastructure for a lot of the communities across the Northwest Territories that...
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My apologies to the Member. I didn't quite catch his question but, before we go to him to clarify, we were talking about the carry-overs before. I think we were referring to surpluses, and I do have, across the NWT with all our communities, in the Gas Tax fund, there is about $3.7 million in surplus Gas Tax funding, and in the CPI funding, there is about $12.6 million total in surpluses across communities in the Northwest Territories. So, again, I think that demonstrates clearly that their challenge is not the infrastructure part of it; it's the O and M on the...
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding is that we are still working on the figures. We want to try to be as accurate as possible before we bring those forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have had a conversation with the department about the amount of carry-overs we have within the government's capital estimates, and I think I said when I was before committee that we try to work with all of our Aboriginal partners to try to come up with some of the work made available to them using some of the processes we have, and that might slow our progress down in trying to get some of these projects out the door as quickly as we would like. I think that's the reason we have carry-overs sometimes, is for different reasons, different ways of doing business in the...
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the Member's question was in relation to a transmission line to Whati. That would complement the 13-megawatt Lac La Martre hydro project where it was eventually built. Whereas 1.2-megawatt mini-hydro facilities would compound the construction of future 13-megawatt hydro project, a 13-megawatt hydro facility is more cost effective than 1.2-megawatt mini-hydro as per megawatt bases, better serves future growth, and better reduces greenhouse gas emissions than would a mini-hydro facility. I hope that answers some of the Member's questions.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. To my right, I have Mr. David Stewart, who is the deputy minister of Finance. To my left, I have Mr. Terence Courtoreille, who is director of MBS, the Management Board Secretariat. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding is the Behchoko access road and the Fort Liard access road are the two. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm here to present the GNWT's 2020-2021 Capital Estimates. These capital estimates total $398.6 million, and continue to support the infrastructure priorities of this Assembly, as well as continued infrastructure investment in our communities. Major highlights of the plan include:
$134 million for highways, winter roads, bridges, and culverts. This includes funding of $84 million towards the Tlicho All-season Road project and $10 million for the Mackenzie Valley All-season Road;
$52 million for health facility replacements, renovations, and equipment, including $20 million...