I’d just like to recognize people in the gallery. I believe they’re here with the Senate committee from Ottawa. I’d like to welcome you to the House. Enjoy our proceedings.
When we left off, we were dealing with item 6 on page 6, Education, Culture and Employment, appropriation authority required: $21,546,000.
Page 6, Education, Culture and Employment, $21,546,000 approved.
Dealing with item 7, Transportation, appropriation authority required: $39,415,000.
I’m sorry, Mr. Chairman. We’re on item 7, Transportation?
Mr. Chairman, I was looking at the monies that were allocated for Highway No. 8, and I notice that there’s a figure in there. The question I had was on the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road Bridge Program. There’s a budget figure there of $4 million. I’m just wondering if I could ask the Minister of Finance if the ice roads out of Inuvik to Aklavik and Tuk are part of this $4 million, or where does that money come from?
This budget item deals with the bridge program that has been partnered with the federal government and G.N.W.T. Department of Transportation and has been in progress for a number of years. It addresses crossings of the creeks and rivers up in the Sahtu area, so it doesn’t include the ice roads up in the Beaufort-Delta.
Thanks for clarifying that. Where would the ice road funding come out of? I’m hoping it’s not Highway No. 8.
This section being “Capital” is actually for construction or infrastructure being put in place — for example, the bridges. The winter road construction would fall under O&M.
Item 7, Transportation, appropriation authority required: $39,415,000.
Transportation, $39,415,000 approved.
Industry, Tourism and Investment, appropriation authority required: $2,318,000.
Industry, Tourism and Investment, $2,318,000 approved.
Environment and Natural Resources, appropriation authority required: $1,765,000.
I see we have an expenditure plan for a lightning location system. At this time of fiscal restraint, I’m wondering if there is justification for that, what exactly it is, do we already have one in place, is this a replacement one, and what is to be gained by this?
I have to go to the Minister Responsible for ENR for detail on that project.
There is an existing system. The objective of this project is to maintain the current capacity of the G.N.W.T. Lightning Location System. To ensure its capacity, regular replacement of sensors and systems is required. For anybody who has been to the fire centre in Fort Smith, they have these sensors set up across the North that allow you to triangulate every lightning strike that hits the Territory to see where there is potential fire and determine how to respond. We provide information to ENR, to Power Corp, to Parks Canada, and in Alberta as well, where we have a Memorandum of Agreement. This is an existing system needing some upgrades, where the sensor cost is $52,000 and, of course, the proprietary software can cost anywhere between $75,000 and $100,000.
Mr. Bromley?
Nothing further, thank you.
I have a question in regard to the jet boat expense scheduled for Norman Wells. I wonder what the urgency is for this addition. I don’t believe it was in the ’07 – ‘08 main estimates. There is a jet boat for Behchoko that I gather was in the main estimates last year, but the one for Norman Wells was not. If I can get an explanation as to the urgency of this particular expenditure or if it’s a safety issue. I don’t see prior expenditures, so it doesn’t seem to be a contract issue.
A number of these travel projects would fall under the department’s small capital allocations which would be bulked into a larger number but has come through in this as well for the detail. Environment and Natural Resources does patrol for illegal hunting, looking for potential spills in areas where work is occurring. They do have some older equipment that needs to be replaced from time to time. For specific details on this project, or this asset, I ask that we go to the Minister responsible, Mr. Miltenberger.
Mr. Chairman, the intent of this project or capital is to replace the boat that is currently 13 years old with a 50-horsepower outboard. The preferred craft for this low-draft and silty water is a jet boat. This will be a 20-foot jet boat that will allow us to increase our capacity and range of enforcement and have that added safety on the water. The other thing I’m informed is that any repairs, given the age, almost exceed the cost of the current asset, so it’s not worth fixing.
I move that $85,000 be deleted from the interim appropriation detail booklet amount set out in Schedule 2, Capital Investment Expenditures, item number 9, Environment and Natural Resources on page 6, for the project “Lightning Location System.”
The motion is being circulated. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Mr. Chairman, of all the projects there are a number that are essential, but the ability to have this lightning detection system that gives us early warning where there are forest fires allows us to mobilize sooner to better protect our communities and a lot of the assets that we have. These are a critical piece of infrastructure to be maintained, and I would ask the MLAs to consider that all of us, except my honourable colleague from Nunakput, live in the boreal forest and recognize the issue of forest fires. This is a very important piece, so I would ask that we consider that, because fire season is going to soon be upon us.
I hear the Hon. Member from across the floor, but I have to again state there is no indication in the materials and explanations that we have had, apart from his words just now, that indicates that this is an urgent item. I gather that the system is already there, and I understand that it needs to be upgraded but, again, my understanding was that this interim appropriation was basically for items which were under contract, which were a safety measure or which were urgently required. I don’t know why this item can’t wait ‘til May or June.
Mr. Chairman, the motion calls for the elimination of this one project. We have to remind ourselves of the fire season. The further north you go, there may still be some snow, but in the southern parts of the Territory the environment does dry out sooner. If we start dealing with this later on in the season — in fact, we will be in full summer season, and we put crews in place the 1st of May — this area can be considered as an ounce of prevention, in a sense. If we are unable to properly see where lightning strikes are hitting in the Northwest Territories, it delays the reaction time for those areas that would be considered appropriate to fight fires. I again would encourage Members to think of that as we review this request.
Again, the information that might help on this motion would be: Is there a system that’s up and running quite capably right now? Where are the efficiencies? Presumably, if you know where a fire is, you can get to it earlier before it gets large, put it out, and save a lot of dollars. We haven’t heard that sort of information. I’m just trying to think of things that would help me decide on this.
Question has been called.
Committee motion not carried.
Environment and Natural Resources, appropriation authority required: $1,765,000.
Environment and Natural Resources, $1,765,000 approved.
Infrastructure Expenditure Appropriation, appropriation authority required: $110,096,000.
Infrastructure Expenditure Appropriation, $110,096,000 approved.
I would have you turn to the Schedule on page 3. We’re on page 3 of the Schedule: Interim Amounts of Appropriation for 2008-2009 fiscal year, part 1, vote 1, Operations Expenditure.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that the Schedule to Bill 1 be amended to:
decrease by $115,000 the interim appropriation amount set out in Part 2, item 15, Public Works and Services, by striking out $6,534,000 and substituting $6,419,000;
decrease by $540,000 the interim appropriation amount set out in Part 2, item 17, Justice, by striking out $1,610,000 and substituting $1,070,000;
decrease by $80,000 the interim appropriation amount set out in Part 2, item 18, Education, Culture and Employment, by striking out $21,626,000 and substituting $21,546,000;
decrease by $735,000 the amount set out in Part 2 as the Total Interim Appropriation for Capital Investment Expenditures by striking out $110,291,000 and substituting $109,556,000; and
decrease by $735,000 the amount set out at the end of the Schedule as the Total Interim Appropriation by striking out $491,566,000 and substituting $490,831,000.
That’s my motion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Motion is being circulated. Motion is in order.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just to describe for Members what is being proposed here in this motion to delete: Public Works and Services is records storage; Justice is the perimeter fencing at North Slave Correctional Facility; the $80,000 in Education is for the renovations to the Lahm Ridge Tower. Those are the three items this motion proposes to delete from the interim capital appropriations.
Question has been called.
Committee motion to amend the Schedule in Bill 1 carried.
To the Schedule as amended.
Schedule as amended approved.
Can we turn back to page 1 in regard to Bill 1, Interim Appropriation Act, 2008-2009? We’ll bypass the preamble and go to clause-by-clause.
Clauses 1 and 2 approved.
Clause 3, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Mr. Chairman, I move that sub-clause 3(2) of Bill 1 be amended by striking out $491,566,000 and substituting $490,831,000.
The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called.
Motion to amend sub-clause 3(2) of Bill 1 carried.
Clause 3 as amended.
Clause 3 as amended approved.
Clauses 4 to 7 inclusive approved.
We’ll go back to the preamble on page 1. To the preamble.
Preamble approved.
To the bill as a whole, as amended.
Bill 1 as a whole as amended approved.
Does the committee agree that Bill 1 as amended is ready for third reading?
Bill 1 as amended approved for third reading.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Thank you, witnesses. What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to move that we report progress.
Can I have the report of Committee of the Whole, please.
Mr. Speaker, the committee has been considering Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, and Bill 1, Interim Appropriation Act, 2008-2009, and would like to report progress, with two motions being adopted. Bill 3 is ready for third reading, and Bill 1 is ready for third reading as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
