Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 55, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 20222023, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to let everyone know I will be voting against this infrastructure expenditure, Mr. Speaker. I think if you support building infrastructure in the Northwest Territories, then a supplementary appropriation which lapses $125 million is a very concerning sight. And I think if you believe that when the Assembly passes money and tells the GNWT to spend it and they don't, that's very concerning. And I know there's much debate about what exactly is being lapsed and will never come back versus what is being carried over and will probably make itself back on the project list in some sort of supplementary appropriation, but I want to give one tangible example.
This lapse is $1 million of deferred maintenance spending which the Department of Infrastructure didn't manage to spend, that will not be coming back. They have a fixed allocated budget for deferred maintenance and they didn't manage to spend $1 million of it this year despite our deferred maintenance backlog being $553, Mr. Speaker.
The department and the GNWT needs to get a plan in order that when we give them money for deferred maintenance, they spend it. And that's going to have to take some building capacity. It's going to have to take a lot of steps. But I think that is one particularly egregious example where I just can't support this infrastructure sups that takes $125 million out of our contractors in the North. And, you know, we said when we passed this budget, that it was the largest one in GNWT history. And well now with these lapses, that's no longer true, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
Colleagues, pursuant to Rule 10.3(1), a recorded vote is required. The clerk shall call on each Member by riding name to cast their vote starting with the mover, those participating remotely, and those participating in the Chamber in the order of their seats. When the clerk calls on you, please state whether you are for, against, or abstaining from third reading.
The Member for Yellowknife South.
In favour.
The Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
The Member for Sahtu.
In favour.
The Member for Range Lake.
The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.
In favour.
The Member for Yellowknife Centre.
In favour.
The Member for Hay River North.
Favour.
The Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
The Member for Deh Cho.
The Member for Hay River South.
In favour.
The Member for Thebacha.
In favour.
The Member for Kam Lake.
The Member for Frame Lake.
Against.
The Member for Yellowknife North.
Against.
The Member for Monfwi.
In favour.
The Member for Great Slave.
In favour.
The Member for Nahendeh.
In favour.
The results of the recorded vote: 14 in favour, three opposed, zero abstentions. The motion is carried.
Carried
Bill 55 has had third reading.
Third reading of bills.
Mr. Clerk, can you please determine whether the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, the Honourable Margaret M. Thom, is prepared to enter the Chamber to assent to bills.
