Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in the mandate to pursue new federal funding for the enhancement of community government infrastructure. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, MACA, is working collaboratively with both the federal and community governments to fulfill that commitment through various funding programs, including the Gas Tax Agreement and the New Building Canada Plan. Funding leveraged through these programs is helping to decrease the community public infrastructure deficit in communities across our...

Mr. Speaker, we will work with the federal government. I mean, we have three roads that we are looking at. One is the Mackenzie Valley Highway, which we've heard for the last 30 to 40 years is a priority for people up and down the Valley, and it would have huge benefits to everyone down in the Valley. The other is the road to Whati and one is the road to the Slave Geologic Province. We will work with the federal government and we can put applications in there. If they decide that one has more value than the other or one that they're able to fund at this point over the other then we'll start...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we're doing the preliminary work on the roads that are in our mandate and for us to link them to the possible reductions exercise we're going through I think is unfair. Nowhere in this budget are we debating the investment in the Whati road right now. We are doing the preliminary work and we are looking to try to leverage federal funding for these particular projects. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We would like to think that the accountability framework tool has been a very valuable tool for not only our department but for community governments as well. It allows us the opportunity to identify any issues that are small before they become big issues and work with the communities to try and resolve these issues. Before we had the accountability framework, unfortunately we ran into a few situations where communities had run into some difficulties and we had to step in later. With the new accountability framework, we believe we have the tools in place to respond to any small issues before...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MACA has a different relationship with the local band government than we would have with other governments. Other governments fall under the legislation that defines authority and roles and responsibilities. Local band governments fall under the authority of the federal Indian Act and are the responsibility of the Indian and Northern Development Canada, or INAC. We have nine local band governments in the Northwest Territories, and MACA has a financial agreement with them to deliver municipal services. Beyond these agreements we really have no authority over their...

As we move forward to finalizing some of the applications for some of the work that goes there, and again, I will check with the department, we'll see what analysis has been done. As the Member said there was some mention, I believe, of housing. I have to say we make it sound like we're not spending any money on housing and then if you look at the budget document that we're about to debate in the coming weeks, we have $146 million invested in housing across the Northwest Territories. I think that's fairly significant and I would put the investment that we make in our housing per capita compare...

We are doing what we can to mitigate the impact of the reduction exercise that we are going through. I think we have been fortunate so far. We have been able to accommodate a lot of those folks that have been affected. I think the number is quite low right now. I did share that number with committee the other day. As I said, we will continue to update them on the work that we are doing to accommodate those few government employees that are left.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to recognize a constituent of Yellowknife South, Gayla Thunstrom. Also three Pages from Yellowknife South: Anika d’Argencourt, Emelia Robertson, and Richard Epelon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this first budget of the 18th Legislative Assembly is about putting our fiscal house in order so that we can continue to provide quality programs and services and, over the life of this Assembly, focus on what matters to the people of the NWT. We have worked with Members of this Assembly through the various standing committees to make the choices to guarantee that we can continue to provide the core programs and services that NWT residents need and start to deliver on priorities identified in this Assembly’s mandate. We intend to ensure fiscal sustainability...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following four documents entitled “NWT Main Estimates, 2016-2017;” “Fiscal Responsibility Policy”, “Planning and Accountability Framework”, “Budget Dialogue 2016: Report on What was Heard in Participants' Own Words.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.