Debates of March 18th, 2004

This is page numbers 47 - 84 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 3rd 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 federal.

Topics

Members Present
Item 1: Prayer
Report On Federal/provincial/territorial Meetings
Aboriginal Languages Month
Implementation Of New Municipal Governance Legislation
Winter Road Report
Clawback Of National Child Benefit Supplement
Land Claims Obligations
All-weather Highway To Link Tuktoyaktuk To Inuvik
Crowded Classrooms In Yellowknife Schools
Timely Receipt Of GNWT Records Of Employment
Road To The Northern Leaders Meeting In Hay River
Resource Development Trust Fund
Management Opportunities For Aboriginal Employees
Listening To The People
Family Involvement In Sport
Implementation Of Changes To The Motor Vehicles Act
Committee Report 1-15(3): Standing Committee On Accountability And Oversight Report On The Review Of The Draft 2004-2005 Main Estimates
Motion To Move Committee Report 1-15(3) To Committee Of The Whole
Committee Report 2-15(3): Standing Committee On Social Programs Report On The Review Of The Draft 2004-2005 Main Estimates
Further Return To Oral Question 9-15(3): NWT Housing Needs Survey
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Land Claims Obligations
Update On New Housing Re-investment Proposal
Standing Committee On Non-tax-based Communities For The 15th Assembly
Motor Vehicles Act Amendments - Mandatory Drug And Alcohol Awareness Training
Permanent Trust Fund For Residents Of The Nwt
Delayed Receipt Of Record Of Employment Forms
Clawback Of National Child Benefit Supplement
Raising Revenues Through The Sin Tax
Non-insured Health Benefits - Growing Deficit
Federal Government Honouring Commitments To The Non-insured Health Benefits Program
Supporting Resource Development In Small Communities
Fair Treatment Of Tax-based Communities
Formal Process For Receiving The Public's Suggestions For Fiscal Restraint
Appointment Of Deputy Chairpersons Of Committee Of The Whole
Setting Of Sitting Hours By Speaker
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 21: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 23: Orders Of The Day

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. May I get a breakdown on that $305,000 under other expenses, please? Thank you.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thanks, Ms. Lee. Mr. Minister.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the area of other expenses for this budget would fall under...Travel is one of the areas that's in there. For the detail, I will have Ms. Melhorn provide some of that information.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Ms. Melhorn.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

Melhorn

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For the directorate, that budget item includes items such as travel, materials and supplies, computer services and other miscellaneous administrative expenses of the division.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thanks, Ms. Melhorn. Ms. Lee.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. May I get the corresponding numbers to those four items that the deputy minister mentioned? Thank you.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Ms. Melhorn.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

Melhorn

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was kind of summarizing; there are quite a few numbers broken down between the finance and administration area and the deputy minister's office. We could provide the detail out of the numbers, in hard copy.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Ms. Melhorn. We will allow you to provide that information to the Member and to the committee in hard copy. Thank you. Ms. Lee, did you have another question? Any other questions on page 3-9?

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 78

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Page 3-11, treasury, operations expense, total operations expense, $4.472 million. Questions? Ms. Lee.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

I would like to pose the same question under other expenses, $3.1 million. May I get a breakdown? Thank you.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Ms. Melhorn.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

Melhorn

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The bulk of that other expense is detailed on page 3-12. Bank fees, short-term debt and insurance premiums. The remainder is a similar type of expenditures that I identified previously: travel, contracts, other administrative expenses.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Ms. Melhorn. Will that information be provided in hard copy, as well, for the committee?

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

Melhorn

If it is the wish of the committee, yes.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Ms. Melhorn. Ms. Lee.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The insurance premiums in the amount of $2.030 million. Is that the same insurance premium that the Minister was mentioning in which we were going to see a reduction of $1.6 million? Thank you.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Minister.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The $2.030 million is the figure we will be paying this fiscal year. That's our estimate, and again it will be revised when we get the final numbers in June. In previous years, if you look at the 2003-2004 main estimates, there we paid $3.6 million. So that's what we had initially paid, and through this exercise we feel that we will be safe in the area of $2.030 million.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Menicoche.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't know if I'm preceding the committee, because I'm looking at page 3-12, if you will permit me. At the bottom it says the above amounts reflect only program delivery costs and does not include corporate and administrative costs. I'm just wondering where do the corporate and administrative costs of the department show up.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Minister.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 79

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am told that that comment on the bottom reflects the fact that the people that deliver, for example, the insurance premiums and so on are not included in that amount. Maybe for the sake of getting accurate information so that I don't get it wrong and confuse Members, I'll have Ms. Melhorn give that detail.