Bill Braden

Okay. So then I want to go back to the opening statement then, Madam Chair, where the Minister said this ambitious plan is subject to continued support from the federal government. Then this plan is not subject. From what I've just heard, whether or not the federal government comes through with the bucks doesn't matter. This is the target that we're going to be proceeding with and that you're asking us to vote on. It is not subject to the federal government. Is that the way we should be looking at this now, Madam Chair? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m sorry; that’s not quite what I meant in asking the question. It is where the airport authority will set out certain rules and conditions and if I am found to be in violation, what mechanism, then, do I have to seek an appeal or have my side of the story heard? This is maybe where I’m not using the right word, but that’s what I meant by accountability. If we’re exercising authority here, then where is…Okay. I will continue to use the word “accountability.” Can the public have a way of testing, and probing, and challenging where it might be required of these...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am interested in the aspect of this bill that covers the provision of airport lands to businesses and other tenants, especially the case at our larger airports, Mr. Chair, where there is more business and commercial activity. Of late here in Yellowknife, I think a relatively long-standing issue has cycled up again. This relates to the ability of businesses to access our airport lands on a leased basis and then, of course, the comparative cost of that land to other commercial options. Perhaps a question of the core of this is, to what extent could, or should...

So then, if I could offer a bit of advice, it’s that you shouldn’t do as I do in the stock market. You should not buy…How does it work now? I can’t even figure that one out. You don’t want to buy high and sell low, for what it’s worth. Mr. Chairman, finally, will the department be able to sort of track its performance once we start using this methodology here so that we can get some sense of have we actually achieved some savings, or potentially have we cost ourselves some money? Would that be able to be measured and reported, Mr. Chairman?

Mr. Chairman, has the vision run any scenarios? Again, I’d just like to get a sense of if we had this instrument and we had this practice in place, say, over the past fiscal year, given the volatility and the conditions of the market, do you have a scenario…Does the division have a scenario or even some good estimates of what we may have saved if we’d had this in place? Again, Mr. Chairman, just to give me an idea of the scale and the scope of the kind of money we’re talking about here. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Briefly, this is a motion that, of course, I moved it, I'm speaking very much in favour of it. It is consistent with initiatives and efforts that all Members agree would be desirable for the efficiency and the improvement of our business. But I think, Mr. Speaker, the biggest advantage that I see in giving these new rules a try is that it will make us more accessible to the general public through the media, through the provision of doing our business more during hours that are more accessible to the public.

I remember very much the hours spent in this Assembly, Mr...

So then there is no established or procedural or formal manner of appeal or, as I say, challenge other than through the, if you will, the administrative route. There are no rules on that. I guess, given the range and the scope of authorities that are sought here, why isn’t there some kind of established route or mechanism by which I could seek redress, or appeal, or challenge something that I feel is not right? It needn’t be sophisticated, but something where I know, for instance, that I have a certain timeline. There is a definite place that I can go so that I know my case will be heard and...

Thank you for that information, Madam Chair. I won’t get into a discussion of that. I think that is outside of the bill, but I appreciate knowing how this is done.

The bill sets out quite a range of terms and authorities that the department and, of course, the airport manager needs to be able to run the place efficiently and effectively. What I wanted to probe a little bit here was the accountability of the authorities, the airport manager, to answer for and justify the kind of rules or regulations that they may set. Say in a municipality, and I guess in a very rough sense I equate the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And reporting? The results? Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, the notes that the Minister gave us in opening this discussion suggests that we will, through this, minimize the risk of sudden price increases, because right now we’re buying it on the spot market and we’re subject to all those variables. I’d like to get a sense of what kind of risk there may be in taking this new measure. Is there a down side to it? A potential for something going wrong? Could the Minister outline that for us? Thank you.