Bob Bromley

Thank you. So that work was completed. We have a strategy and all that that’s adopted now?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just following up on my Member’s statement, I wonder if I could ask the Premier, given the absolute failure of the consultation effort to date on this sweeping legislation, seven acts that we’ve mirrored, adopted completely from the federal government, what will be the revised consultation program that he’s going to put in place? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d just like to follow up on my colleague. That was a very interesting discussion. I know people in the Sahtu, and certainly in all of the Northwest Territories were shocked with the national survey of spills to find that Imperial Oil as the highest culprit, so to speak, and the consequences had been minimal to nothing. But mostly, even local people were shocked by the information. Again, I appreciate my colleague bringing this up.

I’d just ask the Minister, will this position ensure that that sort of information is not a surprise, that people are well informed about it...

So our Fiscal Responsibility Policy and the infrastructure principle of having 50 percent surplus available doesn’t happen. It’s not true at the end of the year until midnight on the 31st. A second later then we have that 50 percent available. Is my understanding of that correct?

Thank you, Madam Chair. The discussion has raised one other question I have. When we pay off this short-term debt on the 1st of April, it puts us into a surplus positon, and I saw in the Minister’s budget address we’re in a surplus position for the next fiscal year. It’s predicted to be a surplus of I forget the amount. But just for clarity there, does that mean we will have a surplus until we take advantage of our short-term borrowing capacity at which time our net position will be debt of some amount? Is that correct?

Again, that’s great. I’m getting a much better understanding. The last part of that was how is the transparency handled? Is there a website that Members can go to see what is being characterized as short-term borrowing, long-term borrowing that the public could access?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate this opportunity to learn a little bit more about this. Would it be true to say that this is a body of a potential source of funds for when we start overspending from our regular budget, or are there things that are actually put to this short-term debt regardless of the fact that we already have the dollars in our budget for other things, if you see the difference there?

Thanks for that response. The last question I have is I believe the deposit on oil drums has been removed and no longer is in place and I think that’s causing some issues. Well, I know that’s causing some issues for cleanup and a lot are being left out on the land and so on.

People that are in the business of cleaning up sites are no longer bringing them back, because that $50 deposit enabled them to do that. Is there any contemplation of this division for going after that issue and seeing what can be done about it and re-establishing some sort of deposit and ensuring that those materials are...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Is there a prevailing interest rate that applies to this or how does that work? Is it different than the long-term borrowing interest rates? What would be the cost these days, for example, of a $275 million, $300 million short-term debt? I assume it would change through the year, but if I can get a rough idea of the amount we’re spending to maintain this borrowing capacity.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Could I just get an update on the plans for the electronics recycling? I have to smile because I ask this every year, as the Minister knows, and I keep hearing positive responses, but no action on the ground. Thank you.