Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member may have no idea of where he is going, but I know exactly where I am going. I am going to try and put this government, with the assistance of this Assembly, in a position where we're able to make further investments into our mandate in the remaining years of our Assembly.
As to specific projects as to where this money is going, we have a number of corridor projects that we have identified as some priorities of this government, but those are not all. The money that we're working with here is not just for capital, but it's also for O and M, to put us in a better position to continue, and maybe even enhance the services that we already provide, which are quite large. We provide a lot of services, and people around the Northwest Territories, I think, appreciate that, and we will make them more aware of that.
So we will continue to go the direction that we're going, with the assistance of this Assembly. As far as specific projects and where the money is going, we still have to go through that process, as I responded to Member for Frame Lake, through the budgeting process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I know exactly where I'm going, where my colleagues are going, and that's advancing the mandate priorities. Our concern, and my concern, is that we are not doing that as effectively as we can. Economic diversification, making business capital available to entrepreneurs, these are things that take cost. Correcting the serious problems with addictions, with housing, these are things that take cost. Ultimately we invest today to lower the cost in the future.
That's exactly the debate we're having right now, Mr. Speaker. My question is, are we taking our leadership from Ottawa on infrastructure investment? I hear again and again, we're waiting to match dollars from Ottawa. Are we driving this process or are we waiting for guidance from Ottawa? Because Ottawa is willing to spend, Mr. Speaker. So if the Minister can be clear on that, where the priorities are coming from?
That was very beautiful, and the Member likes to throw this kind of stuff out there, but he knows as well as I do, and anybody that's been a part of this Assembly for a while knows that we work in partnership with Ottawa. We try to put ourselves in the position where we're partners with them and not just take handouts from Ottawa. No, they don't dictate to us what projects we put on the ground, but we work with them. That's good leadership, good government. We work with them as an Assembly, and when I say Assembly, I mean all 19 of us because a lot of the decisions we make here through our budgeting process are decisions that are made through this Assembly.
So, Mr. Speaker, we do work with Ottawa, we are partners with them, and as a small jurisdiction and, having been to a number of FPTs with our larger counterparts, we have to go down there and put ourselves in a position where we're partnering with them. They're making investments in the Northwest Territories; we're putting our share of resources towards those investments, so we don't just sit here and wait with open hands for them to give us some money. We are partners with them and continue to do so.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Capital Estimates, 2017-2018, Government of the Northwest Territories." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Tabling of documents. Member for Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have four documents I'd like to table. First is a news release that reads, "Northern Premiers confirm united stance against carbon price" that's dated July 21, 2016. The next item, Mr. Speaker, is a news story from the CJCD website, "MLAs surprised by reported talks to save Robertson Headframe."
Third item, Mr. Speaker, is another news story, "Feds stall Mackenzie Valley Highway" from News North dated September 26, 2016. The last item is taken from the CBC website, Mr. Speaker. It is "Yellowknife airport improvement fees could fund more parking, new terminal." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Tabling of documents. Pursuant to section 68 of the Access to Information Protection of Privacy Act, I wish to table the “2015-2016 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.” Masi.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Tuesday, October 18, 2016, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that the Legislative Assembly recommends the appointment of Ms. Deborah McLeod of Yellowknife as Director of Human Rights during good behaviour for a term of four years as recommended by the Board of Management, and further, that the Speaker be authorized to communicate the effective date of appointment to the Commissioner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills.
Colleagues, before we move into Committee of the Whole, it is with great sadness that I advise Members that our former Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and former Premier of Alberta, Mr. Jim Prentice, died in a tragic plane crash last night. Mr. Prentice was a frequent visitor to, and a friend of the North. On behalf of all Members, I wish to express our sincere condolences to Mr. Prentice's many friends and family at this difficult time. Masi.
I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of Committee? Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Committee wishes to report progress.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. There's a motion to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable.
---Carried
I will stand and report progress.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.
Do I have a seconder? Member for Kam Lake.
---Motion carried
Orders of the day for Monday, October 18, 2016, 1:30 p.m.
Prayer
Ministers’ Statements
Members’ Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Replies to Commissioner’s Opening Address
Petitions
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
Motions
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Tabled Document 143-18(2), Capital Estimates, 2017-2018
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
Masi, Mr. Clerk. This House adjourns until Monday, October 17, 2016, 1:30 p.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 11:32 a.m.
