For someone that has set up a system in some of the larger communities that is approved, if this is delayed, then they may be out of some pocket money. They need to be reimbursed if we are going to delay this so that every community has an approved depot. So that is where I need my assurance, is that the constituents of Inuvik Twin Lakes who are doing something like this, have...They are getting set up to start on November 1st. I just want what is fair to them. I want what is fair for the smaller communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. To the motion. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, am supporting this motion. Just speaking from the smaller communities' perspective, coming from Wekweeti, and all they're speaking about, the elders or even the young ones, just interpretation will be a substantial cost. Although we say we can use ITI workers, small communities don't have ITI workers. They do, to some degree, but interpretation would cost extra money, as well. Here we are debating back and forth; an example is the Fort Smith day care issue, back and forth about the money. If we go ahead with this, it is going to create more dollars in the interpretation, just specifically on the interpretation process.

I think there is miscommunication happening here with the communities. As Calvin was saying, he got a phone call saying, on November 1st we are going to get a rebate. We are hearing that already. I was surprised, too, when I was getting those calls, because we need to explain to the public that there is advertisement happening and you get less back. But speaking from the smaller community's perspective, I don't think we're ready right now. According to this motion, therefore, the recovery program in every community without approved depots will be delayed. That means there is existing recycling areas that will continue, but without the depot that we're talking about here, the smaller communities that don't have it, and it's not fair to put the burden on them, extra costs, because we have individuals that are traditionalists that go out on the land for two or three months, and they buy $5,000 worth of canned goods. It's going to be a substantial cost to them, too. I'm just talking about one traditionalist hunter or trapper, but there are a few of them, specifically in my region. So it's going to have an impact on them. We're certainly not ready to take on that task, at this point. That is why I'm standing here before the House. I'm supporting this motion of delay for those without a depot. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. To the motion. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank my colleagues for their concern about fairness and equity, which, as a government, we fully subscribe to, as well. Mr. Speaker, everybody is entitled to a better, clean environment, and I think that's the fundamental premise that we're proceeding on, and that we have a very, very heavy footprint upon Mother Earth already. If we don't start taking the steps to mitigate our impact, the accumulation of that footprint is going to get worse.

We estimate there are 25 million beverage containers every year in land fills, in the ditches, the streets, the bushes, wherever, in every community across the Northwest Territories. We have been somewhat slow with rolling this out over the years. It's been a complex program, and I made, what I consider, to be very serious commitments in this House yesterday about the importance of this program, and that, as a government and a Legislature, very clearly, we indicated this is a significant priority back in the 14th Assembly when this Legislation was passed, and as we've worked over the last couple years with the regulations in getting ready to roll this out.

I am very mindful, and I will be very mindful, of the concerns of all the Members that they've raised on behalf of their constituents and their communities. I've made, as I indicated, very serious commitments in this House that I did not make lightly, and I am very committed, as are all the Members here, to this program. I would also suggest that aboriginal people, for sure, don't need to be told about the value of the environment, and how we have to cherish it, and protect it, and respect the treasures that we take from it every day, and I think all northerners have that appreciation.

So, Mr. Speaker, I just want to acknowledge that I hear the concern. I know what the intent is, and I'm committed to fairness and equity. I have made some very serious commitments in this House that I intend to try to honour. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. To the motion. I'll give the mover of the motion a chance for some closing comments. Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank all the Members for their constructive comments with respect to the motion. I just want to reiterate what some of the Members have said, that this motion is not to derail the program, or put up barriers to seeing the program succeed in a lot of the centres, but, basically, it just speaks of fairness, and that's all this motion is dealing with. It is just to make sure that there's fairness in the smaller centres. For the 20 percent of the population that aren't going to be able to recover any refund from the beverage containers that they use, and just from what the Minister was telling us -- 25 million containers every year -- that's 20 percent of those that are not going to see any refund. We're talking five million containers that are going to be cash in the trash for all of these small communities. That's about $50,000 and more, that these smaller communities will be throwing away every year if we don't have an option for them to get the refund that they deserve.

I know that there are a lot of practical approaches that the government could look at to accommodate the communities that don't have depots. They're talking about giving them to the ITI officers; maybe we could just get people to drop them off at the LHOs. You know, pay your rent with your trash. There are all kinds of options that the government could look at accommodating in the smaller centres. This motion is just allowing, maybe, these smaller centres a little leeway, to give them an extension, maybe January 1, to get the other 12 communities on board with setting up local depots. I don't think it's a big thing. I think with a little enthusiasm, and a little bit of pushing from their local MLAs after this session breaks, maybe these communities, in the next month, or two months, come January 1, 2006, every community will have a depot. I just think these smaller centres should be put on hold until the Regular Members, and the MLAs, can go back to their respective centres and actually start promoting this cash for trash. I think with that, then we can come back to the House in March and all be happy, and say hey, every community in the NWT has a depot or some form of making sure that people get the refunds that they are entitled to, and are not having their refunds all go to the landfill sites.

With that, again, I surely hope that the government can come back with some constructive alternatives for these communities to address this issue. I encourage all the MLAs to go back to their respective centres, and the communities that they represent, and encourage the local organizations, schools, NGOs, and entrepreneurs, to take this program very seriously, and incorporate it fully into their community infrastructure and plans.

With that, I thank everybody again, Mr. Speaker, and I hope we can see some fruition to this whole program in the next few months. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. A recorded vote has been requested. All those in favour of the motion, please stand.

All those opposed to the motion, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand.

Results of the vote all those in favour, 10; opposed, zero; abstaining, eight. The motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5 on the agenda, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize Mr. and Mrs.

Tonka, constituents from Fort Simpson, here to watch our deliberations this late in the day. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Minister's Statement 24-15(4), Sessional Statement; Committee Report 4-15(4), Report on the Review of the NWT Information and Privacy Commissioner's 2003-2004 Annual Report; and Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2005-2006, with Mr. Ramsay in the chair. By the authority given the Speaker by Motion 9-15(4), Committee of the Whole may sit beyond the hour of adjournment until it is prepared to report.

I will call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee would like to consider Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2005-2006.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. After a short break, we will come back and consider Bill 11.

---SHORT RECESS

Good evening, committee members. We are going to continue on with Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2005-2006. Mr. Minister, would you like to bring in any witnesses?

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Does committee agree?