This is page numbers 4627 - 4656 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 5th 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 communities.

Topics

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

First and foremost the relationship is through the responsible Minister; in this case at this point in time, myself to the chair of the board, meeting with the board to go over the plan that the board has put in place. Other factors that direct the board and its operation are through the legislation that exists and that is the NTPC Act itself, our Hydro Corporation Act, as well as the PUB and its decisions that have been made over the years that dictates the structure of how it would deal with the customer base. Outside of that, we set the direction in the Assembly. In fact, this

government has set the direction when it comes to alternative energies, the $60 million that’s been committed through the Government of the Northwest Territories to look at alternative forms of energy versus the Power Corporation itself doing it. In fact, the report that we tabled in this Assembly highlights some of those areas of what should the focus be of the Power Corporation.

As for direction, it is Cabinet; the Minister, on Cabinet direction, can issue direction to the board in how it does its business. I would have to review what is able to be released in that sense, but the other areas, for example, on the Taltson have been many briefings on the Taltson process through the Energy Coordinating Committee and through standing committees on that side of it.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister responsible for ENR and are a follow-up to my Member’s statement.

On December 18, 2008, senior representatives of ENR met with some barren-ground caribou outfitters. At that time they told the barren-ground outfitters that for the 2009 hunting season and the 2010 hunting season their tags would not be affected and that 750 tags would be available. As a result, the outfitters went ahead and started booking hunts and collected deposits and whatnot. Then, obviously, the numbers were cut back and there were no tags.

These individuals are in a real financial position having to return the money they have already spent as part of their normal business. I’m curious if the Minister would consider working with these individuals and possibly showing some common sense and respect in this area and work with these individuals to recoup or return some of the money that they’re losing so that they don’t go bankrupt.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a complex issue. ITI looks after the business side of the caribou issue. There are funds available in ITI. I’d be happy to sit down with the Minister of ITI to make sure that we’re putting the funds to the best use possible and to see if there are any avenues that haven’t yet been explored.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

I know ITI is doing an awful lot. They’re trying. I have some questions that I’ll ask

the Minister on that later. What I’m talking about is the fact that ENR gave bad information, bad advice to residents who relied on that information to their detriment and are now in a negative financial position which might drive them into bankruptcy. They relied on what the government said and they are hurting as a result, because the government changed their mind. I want ENR, who is the department who gave the advice, to work with these individuals and find some common ground, possibly reimbursing them some of the money they’ve lost because of what ENR said, not what ITI said.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

We are departments of the same government. We sit at the same Cabinet table. I will follow up on the commitment that I have made to make sure that... I’ll talk to the Minister of ITI, we’ll bring in our staff to make sure that we are doing all the appropriate things possible and if there are any avenues left to explore.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Once again, going to ITI, I’m talking to ENR. I’d like to see ENR live up to the same high standard that the Minister of MACA set when he responded to poor information given out by his department. They turned around and they made it right. I need ENR to make it right in this situation. There is not even an attempt here. I would like the ENR Minister to meet with the outfitters and work with them to come up with a resolution so that these individuals can get some money back as a result of the bad information that the Minister’s staff gave. They are his employees and they were speaking on his behalf.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

The Member has made a lot of assertions here, which is his prerogative. I have responded to his request that ENR will take a course of action. I will follow through on that.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of MACA a question on O and M funding for communities. I met with Mayor Sean Whelly of Fort Simpson and Deputy Mayor Tom Wilson earlier this week. They have advised me that O and M funding for the 2010 fiscal year has been reduced. They showed me a chart that they are actually one of two communities that will be reduced. I’d like to ask the Minister why there is a reduction. What is the rationale for the reductions of O and M for the community of Fort Simpson?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The formula funding for O and M funding takes into account population and the community’s ability to raise some of their own revenue. They are assessed land value and the Member is correct that the community has seen a slight decrease in the amount of O and M funding that they had because of a slight decrease in population. I’d like to point out to the Member, though, that both communities’ O and M funding actually increased. So there is not really a net loss to the communities.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

The Minister references two communities. Actually, the second community that did receive a reduction in O and M is in my riding as well. That’s the community of Wrigley. Those are the only two out of 33. That leaves me to question why only those two communities. Why did everyone else get an increase in funding? Once again, I don’t understand the rationale. Other communities experience population declines as well.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

There is one other community that received a slight decrease in the O and M funding. Oh, not the O and M; the water and sewer funding. There was a slight population decrease in both communities and that affects their formula funding. The numbers that we’re considering are very minor, but with the increase in the O and M funding to the one community they’ve actually made quite a substantial net gain.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Perhaps if the Minister could explain where that net increase is, because I only see a reduction in the figures there.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

I’m provided with a chart from the department that I would be willing to sit down with the Member and show him the numbers. With all the different formulas or funding that we have, the community, both communities have seen a net gain. It takes into account all the others. But I do have the documentation. I’d be willing to sit down with the Member and we can have a look at the documentation, and if he has any questions, I would be pleased to get him some answers.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be pleased to take the Minister’s offer on reviewing those documents. If he could commit to get them to me as soon as possible.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

I’d be willing to sit down with the Member as soon as we’re done today and that way he can have some comfort in knowing that the overall funding has increased. I can explain the rationale of the formula funding. I

would be pleased to sit down with the Member and discuss that.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve had many questions over the past six years related to the Deh Cho Bridge Project. Today I want to direct my questions to the Minister of Finance. I mentioned it previously, and I mentioned it again today, that this project certainly has the ability to cripple our government’s finances not just in the immediate future but well into the future. I would like to ask the Minister how exactly the Department of Finance is working with the Minister of Transportation and the Department of Transportation on trying to get a handle on what the real impact of this project is going to mean to our finances.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Minister of Finance

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve been working very closely with myself and the Minister of Transportation and Cabinet. By my rough estimation, I think I’ve spent about 10 hours this session before committee on various aspects of the bridge where we’re engaged fully with committee on a plan coming forward that we believe will help in due course and allow us to get this project on the final footing that needs to get completed, recognizing that it is going to be a self-liquidating investment. It will be paid back through the tolls that are raised. This is a huge priority, as the Member has pointed out, and we are working together to come to a process that we can finally focus on the construction and get the bridge completed.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

I’d like to ask the Minister of Finance what would an additional $165.5 million do to our debt wall and our ability to borrow for other projects.