Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The motion is in order. To the motion.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My next question to the Minister of Finance is does he recognize that $300,000 is merely a drop in the bucket for any land-use planning in any type of development, and does he note how far $300,000 goes? Can he give us examples of how that money will be spent fairly amongst all the non-tax-based communities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the next question that follows up is will the Minister address this in the next upcoming budget? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to acknowledge a couple of constituents of mine: Derek Graf and his father, Ron Graf. Ron happens to be an employee with the GNWT, a director of RWED. Last weekend Yellowknife hosted the NWT badminton championship. In junior division, Derek played hard and received a gold medal in men's singles. To follow that up, Mr. Speaker, Derek also won a gold medal in men's doubles with his badminton partner and best friend Luke Coedy.

Mr. Speaker, if you thought that wasn't enough, well I have more. In the men's open division for doubles, Derek...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Maybe if the Minister could elaborate a little further, and I'll set this out clearly so I completely get a good picture of this. As I see it, we get a deposit on the bottle, the bottle goes out, gets returned, the deposit is returned to the customer who returns the bottle, but we leave the bottles with the depot. Do we pay the depots a contracting fee, is that why we leave them the bottles? I would think that we would take the bottles and do something with them if that's the case. How does the depot make their money? Do we pay them separately on contract and the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Speaking on that note, I do appreciate the fact of the breakdown of what other income means, as well as the actual breakout of the numbers, but you did bring me to another subject under other income when you referred to the deposit of bottles. I assume the deposit of the bottles, that fee goes back into a fund that pays out people when they return the bottles. Is that correct?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Minister. The Minister indicated that next year we would have to be a little more aggressive, to the tune of $20 million. I am looking for a forecast of what we may expect. Is it the Minister’s intent that we could be looking at hiring freezes, wage freezes, discussions with the unions on drastic changes? He set out a very passionate and aggressive target for himself, which I admire. In his position, you have to be good. So I am waiting with glee to see some of these ambitious projects. Are hiring freezes, wage freezes or discussions with unions some...

Thank you, Madam Chair. First I want to make an observation. When a Member has a very good question, I seem to hear the click and it appears the Minister is reading from notes. So I have to compliment his staff on his excellent replies back.

Madam Chair, I just happened to notice under expenditures and categories, it does cause me some concern when I read under grants and contributions, 42 percent of the budget goes to grants and contributions. When we are scrambling to make adjustments with our payroll tax and just tax in general on people, it causes me some stress that we could have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Then at this time I'll ask the honourable Member if he will provide a briefing note to all Members. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday in the budget address there was a line item of $300,000 directed at assisting land-use planning studies, new technical investigations and other items related to development. Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister of Finance is when will tax-based communities receive similar treatment? Thank you.