Inuvik Twin Lakes

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to the Member's question on the technical team, they're coming up in a couple of weeks. We're not quite sure the makeup of the team or what their schedule is at the moment. However, as we become aware of their schedule and who's part of the team, we will communicate that with the Members. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe this is going to be an issue that we're going to be faced with more of in the future as more traffic is travelling through the Northwest Passage, so I think it's good planning to have our governments ready to deal with any situations that might arise, and we're hoping that they don't.

Our staff from Inuvik and Yellowknife, we've been involved with the federal science tables, which the Government of Canada agencies with authority to respond to these types of incidents. We're not the lead in this, but we do provide, we will provide support to Canada...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 29)

No, they haven't. They do have a technical team that's coming to the Northwest Territories within the next couple of weeks to meet with our technical folks to have some discussion, and as I stated earlier they have said to us that they recognize the uniqueness of the Northwest Territories and they will take that into consideration. As far as a mechanism, though, they are going to meet with our folks. Once they have some discussions with them and then we have our public engagement, then we will see what the pricing mechanism may look like.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We work very closely with our northern counterparts because the carbon pricing mechanism that Ottawa came up with is going to have an effect on the three territories. We managed to get it into the architecture document that is going to be considered by the first ministers at their upcoming meeting and we also made it quite clear to our counterparts and the federal minister the effect that proposed carbon pricing is going to have on the Northwest Territories. They've committed to recognizing the uniqueness of the Northwest Territories as they move forward.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Oral Question asked by Ms. Green on June 29, 2016, regarding Reporting of the Government Fiscal Responsibility Policy. The Fiscal Responsibility Policy is focused on committing the GNWT to prudent borrowing to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. If the GNWT does not achieve sufficient cash from operating surpluses to finance 50 per cent of infrastructure investments in a fiscal year, the GNWT would be required to adopt a fiscal strategy to ensure sufficient operating surpluses were achieved over the subsequent two fiscal periods to...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 28)

I would have to sit down and have a conversation with the Member and try to explain how this works. You know, the cash that’s generated from our operations in 2014-15 was about $175 million, as was reported in the public documents. We were able to generate this level of cash from our operations because of the $95 million surplus achieved in 2014-15, which included about $80 million for non-cash items like amortization expense and all the GNWT needs to account for. Again, as I said before, it is a very difficult document to read without properly understanding it, and I would be glad to sit down...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 28)

Mr. Speaker, also in the statement there was a comment that the Minister of Finance was unable to explain the public accounts, well which makes perfect sense because I was not at that briefing. It was a technical briefing given by the officials of the department, so I just wanted to make that point. To the Member’s questions, I take her point; it is a very taxing document to read. I will make the commitment to work with my officials to have it available in a plainer language that’s easier for us to understand.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 28)

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, the water rates in the community reflect the cost of delivering water in the community. For a long time the community had very low water rates that were never adjusted and there was a bit of a sticker shock when they were adjusted, but I commend the community of McPherson. They stepped up to the plate and they realized that they were doing their part. We can review the whole thing, but to go back to the water rates that they had before would probably just put them back into the position that they were in before.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we work with the community. We explain to them the situation that was in the community and some of the changes that had to be made, that we made some adjustment to some of the rates in the community. I can be glad to say that the financial situation in the community has improved. We are looking at reinstating the council and mayor in the fall. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 28)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled “Inter-Activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000, April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.