Mr. Chairman, the Legislature and the Government of the Northwest Territories have learned over the decades that what seems to be the best way to manage the money is putting a base budget, and if you are over, come back when you can justify the expense as opposed to anticipating at the beginning of the year a number, however big it would be, and then hoping it’s enough and that the things don’t expand, just spend the money available in the budget. Hard practice has shown and I know, if I can use fire fighting for example, they used to have a very rich budget. It ended up, when there was a small fire season, a lot of other things got done but the fire budget stayed the same even if they didn’t use the money. So for this and other program areas, it came to practice to give them a good base budget, and if there are costs over and above that, then come back and we will make the case to the Legislature why we should get paid for that. That’s the approach that has been consistent in my time here in this Legislature. Thank you.
Michael Miltenberger on Committee Motion 27-17(5): Concurrence Of Tabled Document 51-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2012-2013, Carried
In the Legislative Assembly on March 5th, 2014. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 27-17(5): Concurrence Of Tabled Document 51-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2012-2013, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
March 4th, 2014
See context to find out what was said next.