Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is good to hear the Minister say we have the need to work with communities, municipalities, SAOs, and such, but that as a Minister sitting in this House at present that he is ultimately accountable for this budget and the goals and objectives with it. That makes three Ministers so far. It is reassuring that there does seem to be the accountability factor taken care of.
Mr. Chairman, I want to make some comments that are going to highlight some of the issues I would like to address. I intend to save the specific questions until we get to the activity section.
Mr. Chairman, I will have some questions for the Minister on the issue of the water and sewer subsidy, which I understand or I would like clarification on how it is tied into the block funding formula. The previous Minister of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs told the community when they raised the issue of the water and sewer subsidy that they should address it through the block funding negotiations. Fort Smith is the only community in the Northwest Territories that does not receive any type of subsidy.
I would like to question the Minister on the issue of landfill sites and the situation in Fort Smith, which I see as an indicator of issues that all municipalities, hamlets, settlements are going to have to deal with in terms of the environment and requirements to maintain certain standards in landfill sites. There is a significant cost to that. I know in Fort Smith the town council is taking steps to add $15 a month levy on people's water and sewer bills in addition to some of the money that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs donated. It is an issue I want to ask the Minister about and the relationship with the Department of Resources Wildlife and Economic Development. Is this a piecemeal approach or is there a strategy there, so it is a coordinated effort?
I also want to raise the issue that came up in this House earlier during the Arctic Winter Games, and the need for an objective, comprehensive review of the Arctic Winter Games, and the impact they have had over the years. In my opinion, they have a negative impact on community sport and recreation. I think there has been a tremendous lowering of the amount of community sport and recreation and an extensive focus on the Arctic Winter Games where, out of 40,000 people, a couple of hundred athletes go but where a huge amount of our budget is focused and we pay the price.
I am also interested to hear from the Minister if he could provide a bit of elaboration, at the appropriate time, on the changes he made reference to in his statement with regard to the legislative changes he indicated were well overdue and it would improve flexibility, accountability, and responsibility for the municipalities. I think, as a former mayor and councillor, I have a definite interest there. Once again, at the appropriate time, I will be asking the Minister for some specific indications as to the kind of changes that are being anticipated.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, I would ask the Minister in the communities that are tax-based, like in the community that I represent, Fort Smith, they are anticipating some major water and sewer replacement, given the fact that the system they currently operate has considerable sections that are dating back almost 50 years now, underground systems, old asbestos pipes that are breaking, sagging, are plugged up, roots growing through them. There will be a major cost. I would like to get an update, once again at the appropriate time, from the Minister as to how that would be dealt with. It also, of course, ties into the road surface above because in Fort Smith, the roads are paved. Therefore, you will have to rip up all the pavement and replace it. That is a major undertaking. I understand most communities that have underground services are dealing with that, Yellowknife, Fort Simpson, Hay River.
I thank the Minister, once again, for his comments on accountability. I will leave those comments as opening comments and will proceed with questions at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.