Mr. Chairman, can the Finance Minister clarify for the record who would own this asset, and maybe explain to me how that would be different in the case of Nahanni Butte, where, as I understand it, they would own the infrastructure?

Mr. Chairman, as I said, this is an additional amount of funding that goes toward the increased costs of this project. So we have to account for it in this manner, as a Vote 1 expenditure, but it’s coming out as a Vote 2, being the capital. It’s a top-up to the original amount to complete that project. But it will be, in Gametì, an

infrastructure project, with the asset to be owned by the community government of Gametì.

I’m sorry to belabour this point, but if anyone takes a look at this, everything he’s said doesn’t apply to the example we talked about before. Whether we’ve topped up the project, it’s my point of view, again, that we’re not following consistent patterns here.

I’ll say it the same way I closed off my last point. It appears to be a lone position, but again, it doesn’t necessarily mean my point is incorrect, in that not everyone on this side of the House is screaming, “clarity, consistency.”

Anyway, I’ll leave it at that, Mr. Chairman. We could be here all day belabouring this. The fact is, I’m just looking for consistency.

Mr. Chairman, the process that I’ve been discussing is the process that is used. At the end of the day, when the asset is owned by a community…. When we establish the program, for example, under capital, and it’s transferred over to communities, we have to transfer it to O&M.

The Gametì school is going to be an asset owned by the Gametì Band Council. The Nahanni Butte community gym is currently identified in the capital until the time the community can legally assume that asset. Then it would have to be transferred over.

Regional Operations, not previously authorized: negative $575,000. Agreed?

Regional Operations, $575,000 approved.

Total Municipal and Community Affairs, not previously authorized: $1,249,000. Agreed?

Total Municipal and Community Affairs,

$1,249,000 approved.

Page 12, Public Works and Services, Operations Expenditures, Directorate, not previously authorized: negative $429,000. Agreed?

Public Works and Services, Operations

Expenditures, Directorate, $429,000 approved.

Asset Management, not previously authorized: $465,000. Agreed?

Asset Management, $465,000 approved.

Total Department, not previously authorized: $36,000. Agreed?

Total Department, $36,000 approved.

Moving on to page 13, Health and Social Services, Operations Expenditures, Program Delivery Support, not previously authorized: negative $86,000. Agreed?

Health and Social Services, Operations

Expenditures, Program Delivery Support, $86,000 approved.

Health Services Programs, not previously authorized: $6,036,000. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m a little dismayed at the amount of this item: the $739,000 for the increase in contributions to the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority pension plan. It seems to me, and from what I understand, that this is an extra contribution that’s been required in the past several years. I’m wondering whether or not we can soon expect that these employees will become part of the G.N.W.T. public service so we can avoid having this extra expense.

Mr. Chairman, this area is indeed popping up — the existing pension plan — as their plan is different from the G.N.W.T. plan. The employees there are in fact employees of the Hay River health authority.

There have been ongoing discussions over the last number of years of looking to pull that authority into the G.N.W.T. The decision hasn’t been made in that area, but work has been looked at. They would have to estimate the full cost of bringing employees into the G.N.W.T. It would have to follow a business planning process.

Just a follow-up comment. I understand it’s going to cost us some money to bring these guys into our public service. But I think, in the long run, it is going to save money. I would encourage the Minister of Finance to encourage his colleagues to get this underway and spend the money to save the money.

Mr. Chairman, as I stated, this action would have to be undertaken through our business planning process. The Minister of Health and Social Services, along with FMBS, would look at the impact of that decision, and it would have to come forward as part of a planning position.

Just one more follow-up to that. I understand that this has been looked at somewhat. To the degree that it has been looked at, has the potential for savings been identified? We are obviously looking at reductions coming up. By way of helping to determine how much priority to give to that future action, what have been the findings or the potential identified to date?

Mr. Chairman, again, the departments would have to justify some practices in the process or actions that would be looked at in trying to achieve bringing that grouping to the public service. Again, the estimates have been looked at in the past. It should fluctuate depending on the criteria that they use, the existing pension plan.

The way we pay employees and contributions would see us with an increase in expenditures beyond this amount and it would then be incorporated into an ongoing amount. One benefit would be that they would all be N.W.T. employees at that point.

Health Services Programs, not previously authorized: $6,036,000.

Health Services Programs, $6,036,000

approved.

Supplementary Health Programs, not previously authorized: $1,607,000.

Supplementary Health Programs, $1,607,000

approved.

Community Health Programs, not previously authorized: $1,207,000.

Community Health Programs, $1,207,000

approved.

Total Department, not previously authorized: $8,764,000. Agreed?

Total Department, $8,764,000 approved.

Page 14, Justice Operations, Services to Government, not previously authorized: $138,000.

Justice, Operations Expenditures, Services to

Government, $138,000 approved.

Law Enforcement, not previously authorized: $280,000.

Law Enforcement, $280,000 approved.

Legal Aid Services, not previously authorized: $403,000. Mr. Hawkins.