Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Once again, just to point out that the money that’s there, the $28 million for communities has been maintained, and over the years that I’ve been around, we’ve maintained the level of growth at a higher level than all other program areas, probably with the exception of health.
The Member talks about money while we talk about the struggles. We do have to keep in mind that we are still spending $1.34 billion across the North and we’re going to continue to spend that amount and probably more with all the growth pressures.
The other piece – and I have to take this opportunity to say it since the Member gave me this opportunity as we talk about the communities and their needs and wants – because we do not have a Devolution Agreement, we’re going to leave over $60 million on the table this year. The last five
years, if you can visualize a pile of cash worth $300 million sitting in the middle of this Legislature that we’ve left on the table that we’ll never be able to spend to meet all the needs that we’ve just spent the last hour talking about, because it’s not retroactive. As we go forward and we talk the talk about the money for our communities, we have to walk the walk and we can get the money in one way that we know: through devolution.
Some other opportunities are not as palatable given our tough economic times, which are revenue increases and tax increases. We do know, year after year, $60 million and rising goes to the federal government that we don’t get to put into these varied services that we all so passionately talk about. We’re going to have an agreement hopefully within a year and implementation hopefully shortly thereafter, and then that money will flow to us and to the Aboriginal governments and will help us address some of those needs.
The specific issues about the central heating in Kakisa, I know there’s work underway. I’d have to ask Mr. Guy if he has any specific information on that. I know the Member has raised the issue of the school in Enterprise, which would have to as well get onto the list. It’s not there yet. The services for youth sounds very specific about a very good subject to discuss through the business planning process as we look at the O and M budget. I would have to ask Mr. Guy, or do any of the Three Wise Men on capital have any… I see a shaking of heads. I’d have to commit to get some information on the central heating project that is underway in Kakisa. I know that there’s been work done and that there was some involvement of the government, but I’d have to commit to get that information for the Member.