Wendy Bisaro

Thank you. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Finance, and I would like to thank him again for the opportunity to tell him what he should be doing.

I’d like to ask a question of the Minister relative to the changes to this year’s plan and the opportunity or the possibility of an evaluation. I’d like to know if the Minister can advise the House, and me in particular, of any plans he has to evaluate this new budget process.

Yes, certainly. Thank you, Mr. Chair. With me is Ms. Kelly McLaughlin. She’s legislative counsel, legislative division with the Department of Justice, GNWT.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, I will.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will add just a couple of brief comments.

I’d like to commend my colleague Mr. Bromley for bringing forward this idea and this motion and for thinking creatively. It’s something I think we all should be well aware of and should attempt to imitate. We spend millions of dollars in subsidies on our residents. Albeit this is an additional subsidy, I think it’s a subsidy that probably is more important than almost any of the other ones we currently have, and I think it’s one that is very much needed. I also think of this as one option to try to go a little bit towards...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Premier. I appreciate that some things are long term. I am particularly concerned, as I said, about the six to eight month period that’s upcoming. I hear that there are a couple of things there.

The Premier mentioned the increase in the subsidy for seniors for their home heating fuel. I have to state that I disagree that a subsidy is going to have an impact on the cost of living. The fuel is still going to cost the same amount of money whether there’s a subsidy for me as a senior or not. I’d like to say to the Premier that I think we have a...

I thank the Premier for his comments. I didn’t really hear an answer — I guess I’m looking for a philosophical discussion here, but I didn’t really hear an answer — as to how the fuel subsidy will reduce the cost of living overall.

The cost of a litre of fuel is the cost of a litre of fuel, whether it’s subsidized or otherwise. A subsidy will simply reduce the bill to the building owner for heating that particular building. In my mind the only way to reduce the actual cost of living for the homeowner is to use an alternative or cheaper source of heat. I’d like to know if the Premier agrees with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to use my Member’s statement today to comment on some of the remarks I’ve heard the Premier make over the last little while.

In his sessional statement at the beginning of this month the Premier mentioned that we must manage government expenditures. Thank goodness that’s still a focus. We absolutely must pursue the goal of matching expenditures to our revenue.

The Premier went on to mention some actions the government might take to manage our expenditures — identifying areas for financial improvement and reinvesting our dollars wisely, for example. I agree that...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Bill 19, Donation of Food Act, be read for the third time.

I’m sorry, Mr. Chair; perhaps you could repeat that. It’s very hard to hear back here.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, I do have some opening comments.

I’m very pleased to provide comments on Bill 19, Donation of Food Act. Bill 19 is a new act that will ensure protection for donors of food and distributors of donated food from liability for their actions.

In all of our communities perfectly good food often goes to waste due to policies and standards established by food businesses and restaurants. Food is often wasted because we have too much food and too few attendees at social functions. Some concerned and committed individuals have started to rescue this food and pass it on to needy...