Mr. Chairman,

as

Mrs. Groenewegen has pointed out, the interim appropriation is one where it will give us time to work on our main estimates process and give us the time to do a proper review of the steps we would like to take as the 16th Assembly.

The O&M as highlighted is fairly straightforward, as the Member has pointed out, in capturing what we require to run for the three months of this interim appropriation.

The capital plan is one where it is different. Initially a plan went to the departments, requesting what would be required in a full year, looking at the timing of our process, so that contracts could be let in a timely fashion in order to get materials ordered and construction done. So we went out with that initial process, met with committee, and after review with committee and looking at some of the items, we went back to departments to request what was required as an absolute during this time, what could be later left to the May/June budget session, and came back with the revised document and are presenting that now at this point.

As well, we’re in full agreement with the whole capital plan process. As a government we’ve realized, in looking at the supplementary appropriations, for example, of the past government, that the final supplementary appropriation has grown significantly, a large part of that being capital carryovers for one reason or another. So we’ve initiated an infrastructure committee to review that whole process of looking at how we get capital done in the North, at the timing that contracts are let, the whole process of when a capital infrastructure plan should be tabled and voted on. So there’s a whole number of things that will be incorporated into this process.

As well, I agree with the capital planning itself on structures, the type of design. We need to look at the way we do that and how we carry forward with that within a tight fiscal environment.

One of the other challenges we find and that the Member has pointed out is that we’re challenged that many of our trades people in the North are being offered lucrative employment in other jurisdictions and, as well, contracting companies. Many of our larger companies that used to do some of our larger projects in the Northwest Territories

have now moved on to other jurisdictions and are not putting in tender packages or RFPs for a number of our projects, so that is also an area of concern when we talk about competition in the Northwest Territories. That’s all having an effect on us, and we do need to deal with that. We will be coming forward with recommendations as that committee does its work. Thank you.