Thank you. Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure if he is up there or not, but I would like to recognize Reverend James Muckpah from Arviat who did the opening prayer today and took the time to come and be with us. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you. Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. We will take a 15-minute break. I would like to invite the people from the gallery as well as the Members for a Commissioner's reception in the Great Hall.

--Break

I would like to call the house back to order. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While my honourable colleague brought to my attention about a year ago that perhaps we should be considering new ways in which to amortize our capital projects as we have all known, there was going to be some difficulties in balancing the budget. It was clearly going to be a requirement to take some money out of the capital allocation of dollars. In fact, over the last two years we have gone from about $180 million on an annual basis to somewhere around $130 million. So, in fact, we have had about $100 million less capital dollars to build public infrastructure, and that is a significant amount of dollars, Mr. Speaker.

We have been looking for over a year, for some creative, visionary alternatives to ensure that the need for public infrastructure whether it is hospitals, roads or bridges can continue at the level in which we have done in the past. Hence the reason for my desire to conclude a public/private partnership policy and also a need for changes within the Finance Administration Act, that I will be introducing later on today. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While the short answer is no, let me repeat again, the reality is that the $100 million less spending on public infrastructures taking place over the last two years. If that trend continues, we will not be able to meet the minimum demands that have been placed upon us by our constituencies. Hence, the reason why some of us have taken the time to look at what other jurisdictions are doing. It is not like this is some new, foreign idea. The reality is that we are in the same situation as some of the Maritime Provinces are. I think the recent big project was the Prince Edward Island bridge. Schools, correctional facilities, hospitals, most have-not provinces are looking at ways and means in which to continue with the level of public infrastructure which has been demanded by the constituency and finding new ways to amortize the cost. That is really what we are about here and I would suggest to my honourable colleague, we will not be able to continue down this road, of reduced expenditure and meet the kind of demands we have for infrastructure, whether it is, as I said, schools, hospitals, roads, et cetera. That is why we are looking at this creative public/private partnership, and hence, the reason why I need changes as I will be bringing forward today to the Financial Administration Act, to make sure that this government can carry on and meet its obligations, not just this year, but in the coming years and the two new governments. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I would hope so. I think to sit back and suggest we do nothing, to sit back to suggest that we continue with the status quo, when again I say to you all, $100 million less in capital spending. The Northwest Territories Construction Association is saying, to my honourable colleagues, the jobs have not been created because we have reduced capital spending, and if I do not cut in capital spending, then I cut in programs. People do not want to cut from programs. If I do not cut from programs, then I cut from wages and benefits. People do not want to cut wages and benefits. So, in the capital side of things, we have to find new creative ways in which to continue with a level of expenditures which we have had historically in this government, and it is somewhere around $180 to $200 million on an annual basis. I think that this is a good, sound business way in which to do it. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

The Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I remember the question my honourable colleague posed to me earlier last week. I do not know if they are all territorial sites and have been identified, that this government is obligated. I would have to, unfortunately, go talk to my staff and try to confirm for my honourable colleague, which ones are federal, which ones are territorial, and perhaps which ones may in fact be joint. I am unable at this time to answer that technical question, but I will endeavour to do so by the end of the week.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will await that response. Following up on the same area of questioning. The Government of the Northwest Territories, according to the response by the Finance Minister last week, cannot afford to conduct detail assessments of the sites. We feel an inventory is a positive step. Mr. Speaker, from the Government of the Northwest Territories own record, that amount of liability could be between $6 and $30 million. Will the Minister commit to placing a contingency amount in a budget to cover off this liability or are we going to get stuck with the same situation we are now, with pay equity? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well as my honourable colleague knows, we are working with our partners in the Union of Northern Workers to reach a negotiated settlement under Pay Equity. I do not see the relevancy. I have indicated to you in the House that it is my desire, assuming the partners and Union of Northern Workers can come to the table that we will try to conclude an agreement by April 1, 1998. I have set some deadlines as to how we are trying to reach an arrangement. I do not see where that is relevant to a much larger issue in relationship to long-term environmental liabilities that have been going on for 20, 30 or 40 years.

I have already said to my colleague, I will try to figure it out, and I will ask my department what degree of liability does this government have, and what does the federal government have. We recognize it is important and we are trying to, through negotiations, reach an arrangement and determine what the net cost of this is going to be in relationship to cleanup. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.