Debates of June 10th, 2008

This is page numbers 1059 to 1114 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 2nd 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 going.

Topics

Oral Questions

Prayer

Minister’s Statement 59-16(2) GNWT Energy Programs And Initiatives

Minister’s Statement 60-16(2) Scotland Exhibit

Minister’s Statement 61-16(2) WSCC Mine Rescue Competition

Northern Exploration Expertise Development In The Beaufort Sea

Environmentally Sound Modes Of Transportation

Return Of Service Bursary Program Recipients

Maintenance And Continuation Of The GNWT Business Incentive Policy

Equal Shared Parenting Rights

Homeless Support Services In Northern Communities

Condition Of The Mackenzie Valley Highway

Reducing The Cost Of Electricity In The North

Infrastructure And Services In Tu Nedhe

Condolences To The Pagotto And Jodrell Families

Question 299-16(2) Oil And Gas Development In The Beaufort-Delta

Question 300-16(2) Repayment Of Outstanding Return Of Service Bursaries

Question 301-16(2) Efficient Operation Of The NWT Power Corporation

Question 302-16(2) Support For Non-Resident Transients

Question 303-16(2) Transfer Of Responsibility From North To South Slave Regional Office

Question 304-16(2) Environmentally Friendly Modes Of Transportation

Question 305-16(2) Equal Shared Parenting

Question 306-16(2) Location Of The Arctic Research Institute

Question 307-16(2) Water Quality Standards

Question 308-16(2) Train Tracks On The Deh Cho Bridge

Question 21-16(2) Aboriginal Employment Statistics In Maca

Question 22-16(2) Return Of Service Bursaries

Bill 12 An Act To Amend The Human Rights Act

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment

Committee Motion 39-16(2) That The Department Of ITI Review Its Management Structure To Bring Senior Management Positions Into Proportion With Total Positions In The Department (Committee Motion Carried)

Committee Motion 40-16(2) That The Department Of ITI Review Organizational Structure To Ensure All Opportunities For Decentralization Are Maximized And Include This Initiative In Business Plans (Committee Motion Carried)

Committee Motion 41-16(2) That The Department Of ITI Develop A Strategy To Increase Aboriginal Employment In Management Positions And Include Strategy In Business Plans (Committee Motion Carried)

Committee Motion 42-16(2) To Reinstate $100,000 In Contribution Funding For The Diavik Socio-Economic Agreement Under The ITI Minerals And Resources Activity (Committee Motion Carried)

Committee Motion 43-16(2) Development Of A Strategy To Support Traditional Economies (Committee Motion Carried)

Committee Motion 44-16(2) To Defer Consideration Of The Operations Expenditures (Committee Motion Carried)

To Delete $1.5 Million From Tourism And Parks For Parks Renewal (Committee Motion Carried)

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair David Krutko

Maybe try to bring us

back to the page that we’re at, because we’re talking about something that’s in the year 2009–2010. I know the discussion was open to that matter, but the item that’s before us does not touch on those positions in regard to the budget and the page item that we’re on. I’ll allow the Minister to respond, but I think we have to come back to reality. This is the 2008–2009 budget. We’re talking about 2009–2010 possibilities, and I think we’re starting to wander off here. Mr. Minister.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We’ve

already committed to providing the list to the Members, so we’ll try to do that as soon as we can.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair David Krutko

With that, can we focus

on the page that’s in front of us, dealing with the Active positions, information item? Okay. Ms. Bisaro.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you. Just a question of

clarification. The information on positions that we will receive: will that be for both this fiscal year and the next fiscal year? That’s what I would like to see, please.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Minister.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess

that if you want both, we can provide both.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Yes, please.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair David Krutko

Okay. So that will be

provided to Members.

Active Positions –– By Region, information Item. Agreed?

Department of Industry, Tourism and

Investment, Department Summary, Active Positions — By Region, information item, approved.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair David Krutko

Active Positions,

Community Allocation, information Item, page 10-9. Agreed?

Department of Industry, Tourism and

Investment, Department Summary, Active Positions — Community Allocation, information item, approved.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair David Krutko

Moving forward, page 10-

10, Revenue Summary, information Item. Ms. Bisaro.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wondered

about the trademark royalties amount. It’s considerably reduced from ’06–07, and reduced $50,000 from ’07–08. Could I get an explanation, please?

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair David Krutko

The Minister of ITI.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Last

year we had overestimated our revenues. This year our estimates are closer to the actual revenues that we recover from trademark royalties.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

So basically we’re underestimating

revenues for this year compared to last year by $50,000. Is that correct?

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

If you go back and look at the

2006–07 actuals, it was the year where we had to do some catch-up in collecting royalties. So the $200,000 we estimated was higher than what we actually collected. We feel we are closer to a more realistic revenue forecast for 2008–09.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Okay. Thank you.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair David Krutko

Next on the list I have

Mr. Ramsay.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under

Parks Merchandise in the ’07–08 Main Estimates you had $60,000 budgeted, and Revised Estimates showed $60,000. This year the Main Estimates show $30,000. I’m just wondering: are we not selling the parks merchandise at as many outlets? What’s happened to the marketing of that product?

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair David Krutko

The Minister of ITI.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In an

effort to have reasonably accurate revenue forecasts, we have reduced the number for parks revenue. If you look at 2006–2007, the actuals are $25,000. We feel that $30,000 is a more accurate forecast.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Ramsay Kam Lake

On the $60,000 in the Revised

Estimates: wouldn’t you, if you wanted to come to some kind of real number, take the $25,000 actuals in ’06–07 and come somewhere in between those two figures?

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

The $30,000 is based on

historical revenues. I guess it’s a question of whether we should overestimate or underestimate.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Ramsay Kam Lake

I just have to ask this question. If

we’re going on historicals in ’08–09, what happened in ’07–08, when we budgeted $60,000?

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

We estimated higher than

what we actually collected, so $30,000 is more closely aligned with what we collected under parks merchandise.

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Ramsay Kam Lake

What was actually collected in ’07–

08 under parks merchandise revenue? Do we know that?

Debates of June 10th, 2008

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