Thank you, Mr. Kalgutkar. Mr. McNeely.
Debates of June 24th, 2016
This is page numbers 837-874 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd 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
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Daniel McNeely Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I noticed on yesterday's DOT summary or statements or information here or the review, the tolls were a little bit less than this interest allowance here of 8.1 for the last couple of year. I am just wondering if we are making any money if our toll revenues are less than what the interest is. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kalgutkar
Thank you, Mr. Chair. When the government took over the debt associated with the Deh Cho Bridge from the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, the toll revenues were in some ways delinked from the bridge payment because it was no longer treated like a P3 project. So the toll revenues that are collected by the Department of Transportation go into our general revenues as any other revenues now. The payment on the Deh Cho Bridge debt, because they are real return bonds, they do inflate -- are increased by inflation. So that is why you see a bit of a top up from 2014-15 actuals. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am just looking at the environmental liabilities line here. Back in 2014-15, it was $25 million and change. The remaining numbers are $2 million. Can someone explain to me what is happening there? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kalgutkar
Thank you, Mr. Chair. If Members recall, in 2014-15, because of the change in accounting rules, the government had to change the way it was accounting for its environmental liabilities. So in 2014-15, the government had to take a one-time charge of about $24 million related to that accounting change that was mandated by the public sector accounting board. That is why you see that big difference. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. That is helpful in explaining why there is this large amount in 2014-15. Then for 2015-16, 2016-17, finance is contributing $2 million towards this Environmental Liability Fund. Is that what is happening, Mr. Chair? Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kalgutkar
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes. So the Member is correct. Starting with the 2015-16 Main Estimates, I believe, the Department of Finance got a base adjustment of $2 million to continue to monitor and undertake some assessments on both current sites and potential other sites. That $2 million was approved by the Assembly to help us do that. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. That is helpful. I notice in the notes over on page 160 that it talks about an Environmental Liability Fund. Further down, there is a Liquor Revolving Fund. There is a report on that. It is $26 million. Should there be a page for this Environmental Liability Fund so that we could understand what our liabilities are? How we are paying them off, so to speak, by paying money to remediate sites? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kalgutkar
Thank you, Mr. Chair. When the government did seek authority for that one-time adjustment to book those liabilities back in 2014-2015, I believe we did make a commitment, at that time, going forward to develop a continuity schedule, if you will, to provide and include that schedule in our public accounts, to give the Members and the general public a summary of how that fund is working. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. It appears in the public accounts, but is it possible that in the future mains, that there could be a section in here on this Environmental Liabilities Fund, just as there is for the Liquor Revolving Fund? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we can look at doing that in the future business plans and future mains. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. That might help cut this discussion short next time around. I had one other question about the $25 million hit that we took in 2014-15 for sites. Is there a list of what those liabilities are? Is Giant Mine amongst that list? Can the Minister and his staff provide a listing of the liability that we assumed in that year? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kalgutkar
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just got a part of that question. Is the Member just asking for more detail on what that $25 million was? Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters