In the Legislative Assembly on October 3rd, 2003. See this topic in context.

Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1192

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question today is also for the Minister of Finance. It is about the government-wide implications of the revisions to the BIP and their implementations as of October 15th.

In a press release, I believe that RWED did announce the revisions in August, there was some discussion apparently about the current cost of BIP. I think the figure $10 million was used either by the Minister or by the deputy. I am wondering if that is, in fact, accurate, if the Minister of Finance has, in fact, reduced next year's budget by $10 million to take this into account now. Thank you.

Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1192

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1192

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, I'm not aware how the Minister or deputy minister of RWED may have arrived at the figure that they have. In terms of our forecast of expenditures, we have not reduced it by $10 million. Thank you.

Return To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

October 2nd, 2003

Page 1192

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Supplementary To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So no reduction in next year's budget to reflect this apparent savings we are going to get from BIP. Maybe then the Minister can tell me if we have added an additional $10 million worth of capital projects, because now we will have additional money that we can use. Is that what we have done next year? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, no, we are still continuing to try to maintain a target of $50 million per year on capital projects as has been agreed to in terms of our business planning. We have gone through this with the Members, as well, so that has not changed. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Supplementary To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Surely the $50 million in capital money we're going to spend next year that the Minister just referred to is going to go farther now, so we will be able to do additional capital projects because the money we will save from not having the old BIP. Can the Minister tell me how we have chosen to identify these great new projects that we are going to be able to build next year? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister of Finance.

Further Return To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, this government has prepared business plans for the next government. We have continued with the same basic principles that we have used for the last couple of years. One of those is $50 million a year in capital. That will be our recommendation to the next government. If the next government decides to spend more than $50 million on capital projects, then that is a decision they will make at that time. Mr. Speaker, I can't really project how they might spend any new money that they may want to invest in capital. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Supplementary To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope you can appreciate that I am struggling here, Mr. Speaker, to find some sort of sense that the revisions to the BIP will have government-wide implications. I haven't seen them yet. Maybe the Minister can indicate if he has sent out a letter to departments asking them to adjust their capital requirements to take into account a 15 percent reduction in cost or a 10 percent reduction in cost or whatever the savings is. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, I, too, am a little intrigued with the Member's link between the savings in BIP, which might be and which might not be, and some planning on the capital; why would there be a link between those two. If our government has savings or the next government has savings, then I am sure the Legislative Assembly at that time will determine whether to spend that money in capital or to spend it in O&M or to spend it somewhere else. I don't quite understand this direct link Mr. Bell is inferring would be there. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Question 374-14(6): Revised Business Incentive Policy Savings Estimate
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1193

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms Lee.