Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there was no financial security associated with the lease, which was issued by Canada before devolution. Even though the GNWT still holds the surface lease, Canada has accepted the responsibility to remediate. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We have been very fortunate in the last number of years where we have received infrastructure money from Ottawa. We had the Building Canada Plan from a few years back that put over $245 million into the Northwest Territories. A lot of that money flowed to the communities. The communities actually did a very good job with the projects. Through the New Building Canada Plan, we had $258 million booked for the Northwest Territories. Out of that, $38.4 million was allocated to the communities. The rest of the money actually went into our transportation projects. We just approved bundle 2, and we...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We will have to confirm and see if we're legally allowed to do that. Thank you.

We have to take into account the fact that we've already done the Formula Funding Review, and that was work that we accelerated during the life of the 17th Assembly. That was actually supposed to start at the beginning of the 18th, but we felt that it was important that we identify what the communities would need and then, at the beginning of the 18th Assembly, or during the life of the 18th Assembly, see if we can come up with plans to fund some of the funding shortfalls that were identified. We have to recognize, though, in our challenging fiscal situation, and with the rest of the mandate...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, when Canada signed rights to all securities held for the interests that transferred to the GNWT during devolution, the GNWT became aware that the Reclamation Security Agreement that had been approved by the INAC Minister included promissory notes that were backed by the Mactung property. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Speaker, the first priority identified the by the 18th Legislative Assembly talks about improving governance by increasing accountability, transparency, collaboration and building stronger relationships with community governments and stakeholders. I am pleased to rise today to announce the launch of a new website that does just that. It is important that the residents of the NWT have confidence in the safety of their drinking water. Improving access to information about how the government and its partners work together to keep drinking water safe is one way to foster that confidence. This...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, Mactung is an exploration site. It's not a mine site, and the part of Mactung that was actively used in exploration is in the Yukon Territory. Our GNWT Department of Lands inspectors, we don't have the jurisdiction to conduct inspection in the Yukon. Any inspections would fall under the responsibility of the Yukon Territorial Government. Thank you.

To my left I have Mr. Mike Aumond who is deputy minister of Finance and secretary to the Financial Management Board. To my right, I have Mr. Sandy Kalgutkar who is the deputy secretary to the Financial Management Board.

I would be pleased to provide committee with a briefing, or I can compile some information as far as a briefing note goes, and submit that to committee and then they can determine whether they want to have a briefing or not.

We anticipate being completed this summer. The original project was supposed to be lights on during 2016, and that is still the plan. Of the approximate 1,200-kilometre volume, 733 kilometres have been completed up to the end of the 2015 building season, so we still have plenty of time to have the remaining line laid before June 2016.