(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to make a statement today regarding the hamlet of Resolute Bay and its deficit situation. I am informed that the hamlet of Resolute Bay and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs are currently working on a debt-recovery budget. I want to address how this debt came into being and suggest that the Government of the Northwest Territories is partly to blame for the financial problems. Madam Speaker, the Department of Public Works and Services provides the repair and maintenance service for the hamlet. I will offer a few examples of irresponsible use of public funds by DPW in the course of carrying out their service for the hamlet.
About three years ago, the main water line froze up in Resolute Bay. DPW went ahead and did $238,000 worth of repairs. Equipment and parts were shipped from the south as priority freight, whereas it would not have made a difference to repair if they were on regular freight, although much cheaper. DPW wanted to charter a 748, which is a plane that can carry 52 passengers from Iqaluit to Resolute Bay to ship about 300 pounds of equipment and three people. The hamlet managed to talk them down to using a smaller plane for the 1,000 mile trip.
Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to proceed with my statement.