Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I was raising some questions with the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation. The Minister indicated that he didn't in fact have costs with him as it related to how much has been incurred to date due to the delays of not receiving these generators on time. Can the Minister commit to actually getting us the costs, a breakout of these costs, and when can we expect them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. I only became aware of this issue today after listening to the news on the CBC this morning. I will undertake to request the figures from the Power Corporation and will, upon receipt, share them with the Member opposite. Thank you.
I find that interesting that the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation has only found out now about these delays that might have incurred cost to them and that it was in fact found out through the news article.
To the question, though, Mr. Speaker, we do a lot of business in the United States as a government. There is obviously a difference sometimes in dollar amounts based on the Canadian dollar. Now that we have waited a significant period of time for these generators, the Canadian dollar has gone down. It was a $2.5 million awarded contract. Are we going to expect to see a supplementary appropriation for any kind of increases to this contract given that the Canadian dollar has gone down? Will we see an adjustment supplementary appropriation?
I would not expect that we would. I am not certain whether in Canadian or American dollars the contract was entered into. Often, contracts with American providers are entered into in American dollars. That is simply the way of the world. I am not expecting there to be any significant additional costs as a result of the change of dollar. I am not certain what the contract said about that.
Further to that, I am going to ask the Minister if he will endeavour to actually check into that and see if, in fact, we are going to pay the $2.5 million, whether it is Canadian or US? If it is Canadian, will we be expecting a supplementary appropriation for any kind of adjustment due to a declining Canadian dollar?
I simply don't have that information in front of me. I am not certain how the contract was set up, whether it was denominated in Canadian or American funds or dollars. I will look into it. I doubt there will be any supplementary appropriation required.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
