Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Finance Minister that I am just going to spring on him. I didn't give him any heads-up. There have been a lot of announcements about funding to examine some of these big projects that the territory is looking at, whether it's the Slave Geological Province road or it's Taltson Hydro. There is a lot of federal money, but we are also putting our money into it as well. When these announcements are made, is there any sort of commitment on the part of the feds that, in addition to giving us the exploratory money, they are going to be paying for major parts of these potential projects? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are always prepared when there are opportunities for funding from the federal government. One of the things that I have told this House in the last three years is that a lot of the potential savings that we had so that we can match federal money as federal government money becomes available. A lot of the work that the Member is talking about is building a case for these potential projects. Normally, there is the exploratory building a case to try and access the bigger pots of money. When the bigger pots of money are accessed, then I feel that this government is in a fairly good position to do our cost-share of the project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate that answer. I know that, you know, the feds aren't going to come out right and say that they can commit right at the beginning here, but I am a little bit concerned because, as we are going through this budget here, our last budget, I see what the debt limit is. I see where we are at, and we are pretty much maxed out. It was about a month ago in the south the Minister said he had initiated some talks with the federal Finance Minister about increasing our borrowing limit and about possibly talking about territorial formula financing, and I know that the Minister hasn't had any time in the past six weeks because we have been here, so I know he hasn't met with the federal Finance Minister, but have we set a date for these talks to begin so we can really get into the meat of the issue?
I have, as I said, initiated talks with them. We have not been able to sit down yet. We have been in session for awhile, now, but our next Finance Ministers' meeting, I believe, is in June. There might be opportunities for me to have a conversation with the federal Finance Minister beforehand and see if we can work on -- we are fortunate right now that, with the borrowing limit that we do have, most of our project, we are able to fit under there, but if there are announcements for bigger projects that might need more of an investment from the Government of the Northwest Territories, then we need to work with Ottawa to increase our borrowing limit. As we stand right now, I think we are in fairly good shape with the projects that we do have.
I am looking forward to the next Assembly and the Assemblies after that because these are big projects. They are long-term projects. They are not even going to get started in the life of this Assembly and the piggy bank is almost empty, so can we get assurance from the Minister that he is going to have those talks with the Finance Minister in the life of this Assembly so that, going into the next Assembly, we might have the money to complete some of these projects? Because we are spending territorial funds in addition to the federal funds, exploring this project, but if they are never going to get off the ground, we are just wasting our money. So can we get a commitment that those talks will happen and we should see some results this Assembly?
I said I was going to have discussions with the federal government. I was going to have the meetings with the federal minister. I'm a man of my word, and I will initiate those discussions. I think, with the work that we have done in the last three years in the Assembly with some of the corrections we have made on the budget, I think we positioned ourselves very well to be able to match it. I take the Member's point, and as I've said a number of times, a lot of the work that we do here has set the table for those coming after us, so they will be in the position, if there are bigger announcements to be made, they will be in a good position to take advantage of that with our matching dollars. If there are discussions, and I will, and I have said I will, I will initiate those discussions, have those discussions with the federal Finance Minister before the end of this Assembly.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we have set the table, then we ate all the food. There is going to be nothing left for the next Assembly. So just so we know what is going on, would the Minister be able to provide us with a list of projections, cost projections, for these future projects over the next five or 10 years, just so we have an idea so that, you know, when people are considering entering politics next year, they know what they are in for? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Most departments have 20-year infrastructure acquisition plans, and as money becomes available, they are able to put those plans in to do the actual building. You know, there are Members who are coming after us and I think we are going to position them to come and realize that there are some decisions that were made in this Assembly, I think, that made their work a little easier, and we hope it is a little easier, and if they are in a good position to match a lot of the federal projects, I don't know what is coming on. I mean, we have had some of the projects that we have been working on or we have been proposing, we have been working with Ottawa, and the departments have 20-year infrastructure needs assessment to have plans, so I think the next government, the 19th Assembly, is going to be well-positioned to take advantage of any federal dollars that become available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
