Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s surprising what one can find while looking for something else. Last week I found the following statement in a GNWT document titled “Framework for the GNWT Response to Homelessness,” and I quote from there:

“NGO programs need GNWT financial support. The GNWT recognizes that:

non-government organizations are the front-line service providers for the homeless;

NGOs require predictable and multi-year financial support; and

terms and conditions of contribution funding need to support the flexibility of the non-government organizations.”

That’s very gratifying to me to see...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 2-17(1), Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2012-2013, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 2-17(1) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’d like to ask the Minister at this point my question earlier about the bridge. He kind of sidestepped it neatly. For people who are looking to get some kind of answer on the amount of money that we’re going to end up spending on the bridge, I did ask the Minister if he could give us a bit of a range. I mean, are we talking a minimal amount of money or are we talking a lot of money?

I know in the Minister’s statement he referenced some of the things which will produce the added costs. So I’d like to ask the Minister again, are we talking in the order of $5 million or...

Thanks to the Minister. The Minister talks about sharing that information with Members of the House. I would like to know whether or not that information would also be shared with the general public. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are addressed to the Minister of Transportation. I listened, with interest, as he gave us an update today on the Deh Cho Bridge. I have to admit there was a bit of a smile on my face when he indicated he’s spoken about this issue many times before, not necessarily from the chair that he’s in at the moment. Towards the middle of his statement the Minister mentioned that it’s now estimated we will require additional funding to complete construction. Again I had to say to myself, I went, yeah, that’s not much of a big surprise. He goes on to cite some of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will do what I can to shorten my comments. I understand the protocol that he’s referencing. This was hardly an emerging issue or an emerging program. This is something we’ve been doing for a while. I would like to ask the Minister, in retrospect, in knowing that it was five months to go from call for applications to awarding, what will the Minister do to make sure that the process is reviewed so we don’t have this happen again. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my statement and ask some questions of the Minister responsible for the Executive, also the Premier, with regard to the NGO Stabilization Fund. I mentioned in my statement that it is gratifying at this point that the funds have been awarded. The various organizations have received their funding, finally. Thank you very much. But I’d like to know if the Minister could advise me and the House why it took five months for the NGOs to receive a response and to receive notification of their awards. Thank you.

Only four months to spend their money. This hardly seems fair to me and I believe the delay is inexcusable. There’s never a shortage of Ministers acknowledging the valuable work done by NGOs on behalf of the GNWT, but when will we start respecting our NGOs in actions and not just words?

I will have questions for the Premier at a later date. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister. Yes, I think we’re all looking forward to the completion of the bridge. I can accept that this may be a minimal cost. Unfortunately to some of our constituents they may think that $10 million or $20 million or these numbers that we talk about here, they’re definitely not minimal, but I thank the Minister for his statement; roughly 5 percent of the total project cost. That gives people a reasonably good idea about what we’re talking about.

I do want to say to the Minister that I appreciate his commitment to providing Members with information and I would hope that that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question has to do with the reference in the Minister’s statement to collection of tolls. I’m really pleased to see that we’re going to doing it electronically and that it’s not going to require paper and killing of trees and so on. I’d like to know from the Minister, in the development of regulations for the collections of tolls, has he, has the department consulted with the public. Thank you.