Thank you. Mr. Aumond.
Debates of March 11th, 2003
This is page numbers 645 - 700 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 6th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.
Topics
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 670
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 670
Aumond
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As I said earlier, we've undertaken environmental assessments of all our facilities, and even a couple of our old ones. I believe we provided the cost for each of those communities for those tank farms to the committee.
With respect to Tuktoyaktuk, the clean-up itself is estimated to be at least $500,000 or $600,000. I think it's worth noting that once that clean-up happens, it's going to be incumbent upon whoever undertakes that clean-up to undertake a code upgrade to the facility which, in itself, is going to be a $1.5 million to $2 million capital investment required on top of the clean-up. So the total cost, whether it be to the GNWT or in this case to EGT in Tuktoyaktuk, if you look at those two together you're talking about a $2 million commitment, minimum, after taking possession of the tank farm. It wasn't our intent simply to enter into that type of an arrangement so we could transfer the liability. We want to ensure the liability will be taken care of, and part of the discussions with EGT will try to make sure that that's undertaken. It's not just the environmental liability on its own, it's also the associated capital to upgrade that's going to be required once that happens. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to ask the Minister, did he get a legal opinion from the Department of Justice with regard to the disposal of assets and the question of liabilities?
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Steen.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Aumond.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
Aumond
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are working with the Department of Justice on this issue very closely. They are there to make sure that whatever arrangement that we enter into -- EGT in Tuktoyaktuk, if we are able to come to an arrangement -- that it's aboveboard and it's a legal and binding agreement. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
So I assume by that answer, you don't have a legal opinion from the Department of Justice. I'd like to ask regarding the disposal of assets of this government, there's a disposal process that it has to follow, so I'd like to ask the Minister was that tank farm offered to any other private entrepreneur who may have been interested in buying that facility? Was there a public offer made for the disposal of assets?
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Minister Steen.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
Vince Steen Nunakput
Mr. Chairman, I believe I indicated, at the start of the agreement we had for privatization with Gruben's, there was an option for them to purchase those facilities after a certain time. We were just abiding by the agreement.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Petroleum products revolving fund. Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Just looking at the salaries, there seems to be a major increase in the main estimates for 2002-2003 to the tune of just about $200,000. I'd like to ask the Minister has there been an increase in the number of people in this department since the last main estimates?
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Aumond.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
Aumond
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We haven't increased the PY complement in the division at all. The increase of some $94,000 from 2002 to 2003 is increases in the collective agreement and some salary dollars that we've had budgeted for some casual help, and its assistance to help us through summer barge resupplies.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
In regard to the cost of goods sold, it seems that there's been an increase in the amount of sales of fuel products. Is that because the communities that are no longer involved in selling petroleum products out of the communities, in which it's only the smaller communities where these sales are taking place? Could you explain why there's such a drastic decrease in goods sold?
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Aumond.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
Aumond
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The member is correct. The main reason for a decrease in the cost of goods sold is that we're selling less fuel due to servicing a couple fewer communities in comparison to the prior year, and we're also selling less fuel, probably due to a milder winter than what we've experienced the last couple years and the previous ones. Those are the two main reasons for the decrease in the cost of goods sold. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It's a pretty drastic decrease with regards to your sales. It's almost $1 million. That's a major decrease, considering what your previous estimates were. I'd just like to ask again, do you have a breakdown or listing of where those sales are taking place? In which communities are you seeing an increase in sales and in which communities are you seeing a decrease in sales?
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Aumond.
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
Aumond
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask the member to clarify. Is he talking about cost of goods sold or sales?
Committee Motion 10-14(6) To Extend The Three-year Replacement Cycle For Desktop Computers, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 671
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Krutko.