Thank you, Madam Chair. Within our budget, 87 percent of the budget is allocated to the municipalities. At that time, they submit a capital plan. They decide what money they are going to be investing into what capital projects, what infrastructure projects, what their budget is going to be looking like for the next year. The decision lies within the community. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess I'm getting at the point that a lot of our communities, including our smaller communities and regional centres, have a lot of aging buildings and infrastructure. How is that addressed within this capital allocation?

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Those determinations are that we do look at the infrastructure projects or buildings that are existing in the communities. We do look at their lifespan at the community level, but once again, the decision lies within the community. Whether they are going to be addressing those issues or replacements, it lies within the community. Whether they decide that that is going to be a priority of their budget for that year, ultimately, the decision lies there. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Thebacha.

I would like clarity, Madam Chair. You only have $29 million, okay? You have 33 communities. If you ended up having to say that some communities are going to be left out, I just want to know, when a community puts in what their wants are, who decides on who is going to get what? That's what I'm asking. There has to be somebody. We hold the funds here. It's not up to the community. It has to be up to somebody saying, "Yes, you can have it this year," or, "You can't have it this year and only next year," because there seems to be kind of a cloud that I'm not getting clarity on. I just want clarity, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister of MACA. Just wait for your light.

[Microphone not on] ...we're looking at the allocation of funding and when money is distributed at the community level. I want to just use a grass-roots explanation. I come from the community of Fort Good Hope. They have a deteriorating arena right now, and it's up to them whether they are going to continue that project and whether they are going to use those capital dollars for what the intention was, should they decide to say, "Well, no. We're not going to use this for our arena. We're going to put the money into road maintenance." Looking at that decision, it is made at the community level. MACA also does understand and does see. When we realize that we have deteriorating infrastructure, we do lobby, and we do work with the federal government to make sure that we have additional partnerships to make sure that these infrastructure projects are recognized. We do work with them. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister, do you have anything to add to that?

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Madam Chair. No. Just in regard to Mr. O'Reilly's statement earlier about short-changing our communities: my riding is the most northerly riding, with the highest cost of living. I have the capital funding gap that we do have, and we pushed the pressure on the community so much. For the busing, for instance, for Tuktoyaktuk, we don't have a bus that drives from Reindeer Point, which is 5 kilometres out of the community. Reindeer Point is a subdivision of Tuktoyaktuk. That's where Tuktoyaktuk is being built, now. We don't have any new buildings north of the graveyard in my home community of Tuktoyaktuk.

That being said, the stress on the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk right now to provide busing and the safety of my residents of Tuktoyaktuk, it's not there. I got another email today. We have a council meeting tomorrow. They're trying to find funding for busing. If our government is short-changing, it's just like -- again, Tuktoyaktuk for instance, our fire truck is 33 years old or 31 years old. It's obsolete. We're putting them in a position where we don't want to be putting them. Where does that come into effect, in regard to making our communities make too many tough choices in regard to trying to provide services with what little they get? Tell me now, with this $5 million that we're getting over the next four years, is it $2.5 million a year or is it $5 million for this year and another $5 million for the next three? I'll let them answer those questions. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister of MACA.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Right now, we have $2.5 million, and we are in conversation with the association of communities on how we are going to look at distributing this money throughout the territory. I understand your concern is looking at the transportation for, what is it, Reindeer Point in your riding? We have worked with your community in looking at trying to find alternative solutions. We do lobby the federal government, as well, for transportation services throughout our territory and look at our isolated communities, as well. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Going back when I was younger and sitting on hamlet council, I remember a former Premier coming to Tuktoyaktuk and offering the New Deal. It's the greatest thing that ever happened to this territory, the New Deal. They told us in our hamlet council meeting, "You are never going to have to worry about busing for your community, because the government, we're going to make sure you have it." That's when we were moving out of Tuktoyaktuk. We had no choice but to leave the community. That being said, we've been trying to find that in writing. We can't find it, for the busing, to hold this prior government accountable for busing for the community. That being said, though, I guess if you're dealing with the association of communities, I really think that there should be a line item in there for busing for the small communities, especially above north of 60, in regard to safety of our children.

Ice is coming in; ice has formed, now. Polar bears are coming into communities like Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok, and Tuktoyaktuk. Finding a pot of money that is a line item, it's more of a comment, but this has to be done. We can't keep pushing this aside. I have been bringing it up prior to this, with no avail. We have to find a line item in the MACA expenditures under community associations to have busing. In regard to this, it's a safety issue, and that is how it has got to be looked at. I am not going to say, down in Yellowknife, they have buses; you see 25 buses here. That is not the point. All I need is a little bus that is going to take my people to be able to go shopping instead of paying a $30 taxi ride there and back to go get groceries. I am not saying nothing about my taxi companies now, but that is what the cost is. My community of Tuktoyaktuk and the mayor and my councillors, the pressure that they have from the community, we need to help them. I am here to help them, so help me help you. I will make you look good. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister, do you have any comments?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just for the Member, we are working with your community. This is a concern that was brought up, and we are working with them to identify solutions. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Any further comments, questions? All right. Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Chair. First of all, I guess, some comments: the community government of Hay River, they are feeling the impact of the gap. The residents are feeling the impact. In Hay River, we have got flooding issues. There are costs associated with that, so we are feeling that, as well. This year, we have been on an 80-day boil-water advisory. We have problems with our water treatment plant, which looks like it may have to be replaced. We have trouble with our water line that is extended, I think, 8 kilometres out into the lake. There are a number of issues there. I know our infrastructure is aging. We need highway rescue equipment. We have talked about it for years, and funding never seems to come.

When I listen to the conversations here, I am under the impression that we are not going to solve this in our time. We are going to continue this conversation next year and the year after and the year after. When I hear that and I look at that, I wonder where the federal government is because, really, at the end of the day, that is where we have to go when we are in a bind. I would like to ask the Minister: what discussions have we had with the federal government to try to close that gap so that our communities can operate properly? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister of MACA.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Earlier this year, I did have a conversation with the federal Minister and just speaking about the underfunded communities, as well, and brought this to their attention. However, going forward, I do hear the Member's frustration, looking at his riding, as well, and the amount of significant work that needs to be done there. I am going to revert the question over to Ms. Eleanor Young to give a more current update. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister Young.