Debates of May 31st, 2012

This is page numbers 751 - 800 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 3rd 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 15-17(3): Promoting Diversity In The Government Of The Northwest Territories
Minister’s Statement 16-17(3): Update On Creating A New Wildlife Act
Minister’s Statement 17-17(3): Climate Change Adaptation
Revitalizing The Commercial Fishing Industry
Hay River Harbour Dredging
Powers Of The NWT Rental Officer
Tenant Safety Concerns And Enforcement Of Rental Officer’s Orders
Fort Simpson Sport North Award Recipients
All-Weather Access To Aklavik Gravel Source
Need For New School In Colville Lake
Completion Of Forest Management Studies
Proposed New Wildlife Act And Hay River Reserve Profile
Working Together On Behalf Of All Northerners
Consumer Protection Legislation For Wireless Services
Samuel Hearne Secondary School Graduation Ceremonies
Committee Report 1-17(3): Report On The Review Of The 2010-2011 Annual Report Of The Information And Privacy Commissioner Of The Northwest Territories
Motion To Receive Committee Report 1-17(3) And Move Into Committee Of The Whole
Committee Report 2-17(3): Report On The Review Of The 2010-2011 Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report
Motion To Receive Committee Report 2-17(3) And Move Into Committee Of The Whole
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Revitalizing The Commercial Fishing Industry
Tenant Safety Concerns And Enforcement Of Rental Officer’s Orders
Need For New School In Colville Lake
Impacts Of Federal Crime Bill On Northern Justice System
Enforcement Of Rental Officer’s Orders
Hay River Harbour Dredging
Consumer Protection Legislation For Wireless Service Contracts
All-Weather Road To Aklavik Gravel Source
K’atlodeeche First Nation Negotiations
Stand-Alone Campus For Aurora College In Yellowknife
NWT Film And Television Industry Marketing Efforts
Vacant Housing Units In The Sahtu Region
Display Of Northern Arts And Crafts In Government Buildings
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery (Reversion)
Increased Support For Renewable Energy
Recorded Vote
Extended Adjournment Of The House To June 4, 2012
Bill 2: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2012
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Report of Committee of the Whole
Orders of the Day

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, committee. Sergeant-at-Arms, would you escort the witnesses into the Chamber, please?

Minister Ramsay, could you introduce your witnesses for the record, please?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right I have Mr. Russell Neudorf, deputy minister of Department of Transportation. To my left, Mr. Daniel Auger, assistant deputy minister of Department of Transportation.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. We are on page 11-21, Transportation, activity summary, highways, operations expenditure summary, $67.844 million. Mr. Dolynny.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Welcome back to the delegation, Mr. Ramsay. On this page the term “other” does stand out and there is a somewhat large increase in main estimates from 2011-2012. Can the Minister give this House an indication why the increase and maybe indicate what is the itemized list of the so-called “other”?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Ramsay.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Under “other” the majority of that would be for the Deh Cho Bridge interest expense and chargeback expenses.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

If I can get the Minister or someone from the department here to clarify exactly what that meant.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Neudorf.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Russ Neudorf

Thank you, Madam Chair. Underneath this “other” line item we record the expense for the debt that was associated with the Deh Cho Bridge. The amount there of $8.076 million is the amount of funding that’s required to pay the principal and interest on the $165.4 million bonds that were issued for the Deh Cho Bridge.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. I kind of thought we’d gotten rid of “other” but apparently it’s resurfaced. Mr. Dolynny.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. These bonds, which I know are being held or were assumed by this government as a result of taking over the Deh Cho Bridge Project, would we assume that this expense will be a recurrent entry every year and is there an amortization where that will not occur in the future?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Russ Neudorf

The bonds were issued to be repaid over a period of 35 years. After that time those repayments would stop.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

If memory serves me right - and again could I get confirmation here by the department - these bonds are not really subject to interest rates and are more so tied to CPI. As long as CPI stays relatively the same or close to what we see today, could we presume that this amount will remain very stable throughout this 35-year life of this amortization or expense debt?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Russ Neudorf

These bonds are real return bonds, so there is, as the Member indicated, an inflationary component to them. The repayment schedule was actually sculptured when the debt was initially issued so that the total repayment also increases every year with inflation. So we would expect that this would, the repayment required every year would go up by the amount of inflation.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

No further questions on that line.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Thank you. Page 11-21, Transportation, activity summary, highways, operations expenditure summary, $67.844 million.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Page 11-22, Transportation, activity summary, highways, grants and contributions, grants, total grants, $96,000.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Page 11-23, Transportation, activity summary, information item, highways, active positions.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Page 11-25, Transportation, activity summary, marine, operations expenditure summary, $8.042 million.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Wendy Bisaro

Page 11-26, Transportation, activity summary, information item, marine, active positions.