This is page numbers 131 - 159 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 1st 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 work.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hold in my hand the NWT Arts Strategy, a copy of this, and it talks about the promotion of the arts. I just want to make sure that we’re singing from the same song sheet, that the Minister will ensure that he can get back to me and this House before February so we can have a good and lengthy discussion in advance of any type of budget session if there needs to be support on this type of initiative. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we’ve outlined in the strategic plan for the 16th Assembly, this can certainly be one of the priorities; it

will be up to the Members here to set priorities. But I’m more than willing to sit down with the Member and other Members who are requesting meetings with Ministers on various issues and concerns. This could be one of them that we’ll certainly meet on. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Premier. I wanted to ask the Premier, does the Government of the Northwest Territories have a list of priority projects for the Building Canada Fund? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 83-16(1): Building Canada Fund
Item 7: Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What we’ve done to date is work with the federal government on a framework agreement, as Minister McLeod has stated, and working with their criteria, requested departments to look at the plans that we have in place -- that is the 2007-2008 infrastructure plan -- and see what we can work with in looking at our existing financial situation. It has a role in that. We’ve done that work and we’re prepared to work with the federal government in coming up with a couple of

key initiatives early on and then work through our normal business planning process. So is there a list? The list would be our starting point as the capital plan for this government that’s already out there. That’s our starting point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That was quite a lengthy answer for a yes or no question. Again, I’d like to ask the Premier what…Okay, first I’m going to ask him again: Is there a list of priority projects for the Building Canada Fund? Yes or no.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Cabinet has not made a decision on a priority list that we’re prepared to present to the federal government. We’ve had discussions within departments and, as I’ve laid out, we’ve worked from the information we have available and that’s public to date. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Assuming that there’s no list, how do Regular Members have any input into the decisions on what priorities are on that list, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the lead Minister on the Building Canada Fund has prepared the information for Members and had discussions with them, we’re going to work with our existing arrangement that we have in place. For example, right now the federal government is looking for an announcement, an assignment of a framework that would highlight the first project or two that we’d be prepared to move on, meeting their criteria. We would then, because the money is a seven-year funding agreement, sit down with Members and, as highlighted, we’re intending to go forward with an interim appropriation that would have the full capital plan attached to that because of the timing of contracts that need to be let. Through that process, we’re ready to sit down with Members and go through that list of what can be further added to the Building Fund dollars that would be available to us. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 83-16(1): Building Canada Fund
Item 7: Oral Questions

November 29th, 2007

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The last government had a history of avoidance and not including Regular Members in the decision-making process. I’d like to ask the Premier how is this government going to be different and how are they going to engage Regular Members in the decision-making process so that consensus government and the spirit and intent of consensus government is not continually eroded? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the 16th Legislative Assembly, we’ve already

started, I think, a cooperative arrangement. We’ve gone forward, a meeting already has been held on this issue. A decision has not been made by Cabinet. I am prepared to sit down with Members again. As I already laid out, the interim appropriation, the business planning, no decisions have been made in that area. We have to set the priorities, but we are going to have to work within a fiscal environment that is going to squeeze us in a number of areas. Infrastructure is going to be one of those large areas. So that is where we are at, at this point. I am prepared to continue to work with Members, but at some point, so we don’t lose a year on some of these projects or potential projects, we are going to have to make a decision. I trust that is what Members have given us authority in. As we have our discussions, at some point a decision is made and we will need to proceed. Hopefully we will have enough support that we will proceed on a number of projects. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. It is in regards to the infrastructure needs in our communities. I am not making it sound like there is no need in the community of Aklavik. I know with the flood a couple of years ago, that we expended over $2 million hauling crushed gravel from Inuvik to Aklavik by barge. But yet, Mr. Speaker, there is a gravel source 15 kilometres from the community by way of Willow River. I think, as a government, that we do have a program called the community access road program, but it is very limited on really doing anything practical on the ground. I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, that we, as government, develop a program or put more resources into a program to allow for communities to develop their granular sources so that they are able to meet the challenges of climate change, floods, infrastructure needs and, more importantly, build up those communities that are threatened by climate change such as shore erosion, floods and other things. As a government, maybe we should look at the policies we already have and develop around those policies. I would like to ask the Premier not to lose sight of his neighbours to the west, but to keep them in mind that we also have some challenges which are unique. I support the project in regards to site 177, but I think also the community of Aklavik is in similar need.

I would like to ask the Premier, will he also commit to the community of Aklavik as he just committed to the Member for Nunakput?

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we will do our job to try to get to every community in the Northwest Territories, and I am prepared to meet with the Member and his community on this issue. It has been a longstanding one. We have arranged, for example, transportation at times if the Housing Corporation or a number of departments have projects. They arrange for a larger source. At times the winter road is built into that area and gravel hauled out. As a government, we are going to have a discussion on the overall package of what we bring forward and those initiatives and priorities. I am prepared to work with the Member and travel with him and speak on this issue. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.