Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this Sunday, March 21st, will be the official kick-off of spring, although it doesn’t feel like it outside at the moment. Spring in Yellowknife means Caribou Carnival, Mr. Speaker. This is an occasion where all residents, visitors, families, young and old, partake in numerous events that are taking place. This will begin next Friday, Mr. Speaker. Some of the events that we have gotten used to enjoying at this carnival are dog mushing, or a tea boiling contest, or vying to be the owner of the ugliest truck in town. I was going for that until recently when...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. So we have other expenses under other expenses. I just want to make a point here, Mr. Chairman. I wonder if the Minister as Minister of Finance could comment on whether or not there is any better way to be more transparent in the way we debate and pass budgets, Mr. Chairman. I do believe that the exercise we’re engaged in here is very important. This is the money that we’re approving for the government to spend on behalf of the people and the least we could do or ought to be able to know is what it is that we’re allocating the budget for. I understand that...

That concludes my general comment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Minister mentioned that 30 percent of the $7 million increase is from the mines. Can I get information as to what constitutes the other 70 percent and also could the Minister indicate as to whether or not the Snap Lake De Beers mine is included in that assessment? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wonder if I could just continue asking questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services on the same topic that the honourable Member for Hay River South has been pursuing. This is something that’s been curious to me, as well. I don’t know the long and whole background of this issue, but I do know that we have upwards of $30 million in disbursements or reimbursements from the federal government outstanding that has incurred as a result of this government providing services to aboriginal residents in our territory that they are entitled to. We’re...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to have the breakdown of other expenses of $147,000. If at all possible, I would like to have this read into the record, just to be clear. I am not looking for accounting for every dollar of what is planned under these other expenses areas. So I would like to know the general categories like the Minister mentioned earlier, such as travel, materials and supplies and computers. I am looking for approximate figures under whatever headings they are using. I could put every other department that is going to appear over the next 10 days that I will be asking...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present our first report of the Standing Committee on Social Programs. The report contains comments and observations and recommendations where appropriate on each of these departments, and will be addressed in Committee of the Whole when the detailed budget of each department is considered. That concludes my very short introductory portion of the report of the Standing Committee on Social Programs.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The insurance premiums in the amount of $2.030 million. Is that the same insurance premium that the Minister was mentioning in which we were going to see a reduction of $1.6 million? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. May I get the corresponding numbers to those four items that the deputy minister mentioned? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Taking advantage of the remaining seconds, could I ask the Minister for more information about the involvement of the government in terms of helping out the NGOs with their insurance coverage? The Minister made reference to shelters. More specifically, I'm wondering if this section of the government, the Finance department and the insurance management division, is engaged in analyzing the situation and looking at options for the government and the NGOs as to how to address the high insurance costs and how to mitigate that cost perhaps. Thank you.