Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I am informed by the clerk that we can get into detail when we get into the appropriations no. 2. This is more or less general comments at this time. Mr. Henry.
Debates of Sept. 24th, 1998
Topics
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 209
The Chair John Ningark
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just one quick question for the Minister. He touch on it in his opening comments that we still have not exhausted the reserve, but we have some large figures coming out in this appropriation. Can the Minister advise us what dollar amount is left in the appropriation for the present fiscal year? Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 209
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Before you respond, Mr. Minister, would you please introduce the witness and respond to Mr. Henry.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
I would like a little clarity. When we develop the balance sheet and the fiscal framework for the government we make provision for a reserve for supplementary appropriations. That reserve last year was $36 million. Most of those reserves were taken up with the supplementaries and because we have had a better than normal fiscal overall picture, we can still maintain our desire to bring forward a balanced budget. Is my colleague asking, for clarity purposes, is there any additional reserves that we have placed within the balance sheet at the end of the fiscal year? Is that the question?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 209
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Henry.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is exactly the question.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Todd.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
No Mr. Chairman, we have not planned or banked any additional reserve funding to meet any unexpected and unanticipated expenditures that we have. What I am doing, and I have said this in the House to questions asked by other colleagues, we are working currently with the federal government and there is a distinct possibility we may get some additional one-time money, which still is not clear right now, which will give us at least in the short-term a reasonable fiscal picture. If and when that does occur, I will share that with my colleagues, as I will have to share that with Cabinet, and we will develop a strategy as to how we will determine what actions are necessary to spend or not to spend it. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 210
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Before I forget, the witness with Mr. Todd is Debbie DeLancey. Mr. Henry.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can the Minister advise the number of supplementary appropriations this government had in the last fiscal year? Are there any projections as to what the supplementary appropriations will be for the balance of this fiscal year? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Todd.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
Last year our total supplementary appropriations were somewhere in the region of $66 million. We are currently up to $63 million to date and we are looking at revised numbers and looking at the business plans, et cetera and what may come up through unexpected expenditures. I am not in a position today to tell my colleague what I think they will be. I am saying that I have some confidence that our fiscal position will be a good one, that we will balance the budget, that we will get rid of the accumulated deficit and there may in fact be, at the end of the day, not many, but some additional dollars because of the current negotiations that are underway with the federal government as it relates to some changes in the statistics that took place in the last couple of years. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 210
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. General comments. Details. Mr. Krutko.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Regarding my earlier remarks, I asked the Minister about the $1.5 million that has been allocated for Royal Oak, has this arrangement been done in the past and if so, with whom?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 210
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Todd.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
I am not aware, Mr. Chairman, whether in fact we have contributed to any previous large industry like a mine, et cetera. Sorry, I would have to look into that matter. I do not think in my time. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Krutko.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Has there been any other financial assistance given to this company by way of
grants or through other programs this government offers, such as the development corporation or grants through subsidies, power subsidies, is there anything regarding the amount of money that has been allocated in the past to Royal Oak or funds from this government?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 210
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Todd.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
Mr. Chairman, not that I am aware of. I know there is a temporary loan guarantee that we have given to the NWT Power Corporation because of the Giant Mine expenditures for their power. It is not a subsidy, it is a loan guarantee and it is a temporary one until such time as they meet their fiscal obligations to the NWT Power Corporation.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 210
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Krutko.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Could the Minister tell us exactly how much that was for the guarantee?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
I believe it was $1.2 million, Mr. Chairman.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 210
The Chair John Ningark
General comments. Mr. Krutko.