This is page numbers 4497 - 4544 of the Hansard for the 19th 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 know.

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Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

In favour.

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

In favour.

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Kam Lake.

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

For.

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

In favour.

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Monfwi.

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Great Slave.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

In favour.

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

In favour.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

The results of the recorded vote: 17 in favour, zero opposed, zero abstentions. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 54 has had third reading.

Third reading of bills. Minister responsible for Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 55, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2022-2023, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to let everyone know I will be voting against this infrastructure expenditure, Mr. Speaker. I think if you support building infrastructure in the Northwest Territories, then a supplementary appropriation which lapses $125 million is a very concerning sight. And I think if you believe that when the Assembly passes money and tells the GNWT to spend it and they don't, that's very concerning. And I know there's much debate about what exactly is being lapsed and will never come back versus what is being carried over and will probably make itself back on the project list in some sort of supplementary appropriation, but I want to give one tangible example.

This lapse is $1 million of deferred maintenance spending which the Department of Infrastructure didn't manage to spend, that will not be coming back. They have a fixed allocated budget for deferred maintenance and they didn't manage to spend $1 million of it this year despite our deferred maintenance backlog being $553, Mr. Speaker.

The department and the GNWT needs to get a plan in order that when we give them money for deferred maintenance, they spend it. And that's going to have to take some building capacity. It's going to have to take a lot of steps. But I think that is one particularly egregious example where I just can't support this infrastructure sups that takes $125 million out of our contractors in the North. And, you know, we said when we passed this budget, that it was the largest one in GNWT history. And well now with these lapses, that's no longer true, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Question has been called.

Colleagues, pursuant to Rule 10.3(1), a recorded vote is required. The clerk shall call on each Member by riding name to cast their vote starting with the mover, those participating remotely, and those participating in the Chamber in the order of their seats. When the clerk calls on you, please state whether you are for, against, or abstaining from third reading.

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Yellowknife South.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

In favour.