Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We haven’t set a target like 5, 10, 15 percent, but our goal is always to do better and to get that percentage as low as we can. Ultimately, it would be great to get to a point where all the capital we budget for is completed in the year in which it’s budgeted, but there are always extenuating circumstances that may limit that or interfere with that. Our goal is to get it as low as possible and spend the money in the year that it’s allocated.

The other question I have is with the financial part of it and us having borrowing limits and stuff like that. It is actually probably a savings concern. Are we saving money in interest costs and stuff like that when we don’t spend all the money that is required under the infrastructure budget?

Very little savings at all as a result of this.

I’m just wondering: it would be nice for the government to set a goal to decrease this number as much as possible because the money out in the community, out in the territory, we’re talking about large sums of money, multi-millions of dollars going out in the regions and in the territory would have an economic spin. So for those people that there’s a lot of concern that the economy is slowing down and the fact that we would like to see more of that money out and spending itself in the economy, it would be nice to see the departments set a goal, especially the big project departments such as Transportation and some of the ones that have bigger projects. It would be good to set a goal to achieve it down to a certain point. I know there is always going to be some carry-over. We can’t get rid of all of it, but getting it down to a 15 percent goal in the next couple of

years would be one thing that I would look for them to try to achieve.

Madam Chair, our goal is always to complete the projects in the year in which they are budgeted for, to spend the dollars in the year that they are approved and supported by the Legislative Assembly. Ultimately, we would like to have no carry-over and that’s our goal.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. General comments. Okay, moving to detail then. If you could please turn to page 5 in your document. Municipal and Community Affairs, infrastructure operations expenditures, community operations, $4.374 million.

Agreed. Total department, $4.374 million.

Thank you. Department of Education, Culture and Employment, infrastructure operations expenditures, labour development and standards, $269,000.

Total department, $269,000.

Agreed, thank you. Moving on to the Legislative Assembly, capital infrastructure expenditures, Office of the Clerk, $328,000. Total department, $328,000. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Some of the information on here is a bit different than what I looked at earlier in the week and there is an additional amount of $98,000 that, according to the provision here, is to provide funding for improvements to increase accessibility in the Legislative Assembly building. Can I get some more clarification on that entry? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Legislative Assembly, through direction of the Speaker and the Board of Management, are attempting to improve the accessibility of the Legislative Assembly and increase the ability for all of our residents to enter and enjoy this flagship facility that we have. These dollars are intended to help improve some of the accessibility issues here in the building, including some amendments to the bathrooms, putting the electronic push censors that will automatically open doors, remove some of the glass walls in the bathroom and public areas so that there is less restriction for persons with disabilities

to come through the facility and gain access to this wonderful building that we call home. Thank you.

Thank you. So how many, I guess for clarity, just to understand the scope of the project, we’re putting a couple of automatic doors here in the Legislative Assembly, removing some glass and this is going to be almost $100,000. Am I correct in that assumption? Thank you.

There are a few more details. I have the specifics, which I can read off to the Member if he would like so that it’s on public record, or I can share it with committee, whichever the Member prefers.

Just for the sake because this is an addition here that I was unfamiliar with, if he could just briefly read through the highlights of what’s included in the $100,000, that would be appreciated. Thank you.

For the $98,000 its installing an electrically assisted door opening mechanism on the public wheelchair accessible washroom door and on the door to the wheelchair accessible washroom in the hallway behind the Chamber. This is estimated about $22,500. Installing an electrically assisted door opening mechanism on glass doors to Committee Room A and the library, which is estimated at $49,000. Install a companion seat in each of the two wheelchair access visitors galleries, which are up there and up there. Estimated cost is $11,500. Remove the glass door leading to the public washroom altogether to the back hall, which would require retile, patch replace and trim, which is about $2,500 and design fees for all the above work as well adds to the $98,000 cost. It’s intended to increase the accessibility and help move towards a more barrier-free facility so that all residents of the Northwest Territories can come in and enjoy this wonderful flagship building of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

I appreciate the Minister going through that list here. Would I assume that at this point we would become barrier-free for complete public access, or are there other phases that we should be expecting or is this a one time? Thank you.