Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a few comments in terms of the process and a lot of questions. We’ll save those for later, but some general comments.

I think the work that is being done by the committee that was undertaking the review of the capital planning process has been very good work. I felt that it was well thought out. They made considered and appropriate recommendations and suggestions for improvement and for changes. I think that as a first go-round this new process has a good chance of success, I guess, for lack of a better way of putting it. I support the process and the schedule, and...

Thank you, Minister. I’m glad to hear that you’re communicating with the communities. That’s a good thing.

I would like to ask for the Minister’s opinion relative to the suggestion for an infrastructure fund proposal that was mentioned in my statement. Does he see the merit in such a proposal, and will this Minister take on the task of convincing the Finance Minister that we should include such a fund in our 2009–10 operations budget?

Thanks to the Minister for that answer. That’s about what I expected.

Interjections.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Communities are the backbone of our territory and our economy. With the New Deal that our Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has put in place over the last few years, some of our communities are struggling to manage their new — I hesitate to say it, but must — downloaded responsibilities. Small communities in particular lack the capacity to adequately handle this additional work. There are capacity gaps in human resources, skilled workers — like everywhere else across the country — and specialized knowledge. Dealing with contracts is a perfect example.

I must...

Just one quick follow-up. I do appreciate that communities do have access to a fairly large amount of dollars for projects on their own, but I was referencing more projects which are territorial in nature, such as airport projects and specifically the relocation of the Trout Lake Airport, which seems to have dropped off the horizon in total.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. You always were up to speed in my books.

I appreciate the answer that you gave in terms of numbers and the millions and millions of dollars that is available to communities, but that is not just for infrastructure projects. That funding has to go for them to operate their communities, and when a large infrastructure project such as a water treatment plant needs to be done to keep up with federal regulations, there’s not really extra money available for that.

I’d like to ask the Minister if he would commit to consultation with the NWT Association of Communities in the...

No, no, it was not nothing. It was very much something, but it was something I already knew.

I’d like to follow up and ask the Minister whether or not there is currently a pot of money available to communities that would provide assistance to them for large infrastructure projects.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the newly minted Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. I’d like to congratulate him on his initiation into question period previously.

I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement with regard to options for community governments and assistance that might be available for them. I’d like to ask the Minister what options or what services exist at this time that will provide assistance to communities when they feel that it is needed under their lack of capacity under the New Deal.

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

Bill 19 provides that a person who donates food or distributes donated food is not liable for disease, injury, death or other harm resulting from the consumption of that food unless the person intended to harm the recipient or acted recklessly in donating or distributing the food. Similar provisions apply to the directors, agents, employees and volunteers of corporations involved in the donation or distribution of food. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a dedicated Yellowknife volunteer, although I can’t see her. She’s up behind me somewhere. Ms. Ruby Trudel is here today.