Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just given the comments the Minister has heard and the fact that this is probably one of our biggest deficits in infrastructure and for years now we’re refusing to acknowledge that and respond despite the Members’ input, what is the Minister’s plans to come forward with a much more responsible capital budget next year, or at least recommendations for the 18th Assembly? Once again here we’re leaving the 18th Assembly with all these deficits because of our failure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up with my statement earlier today. Recently, Borealis GeoPower in partnership with Acho Dene Koe First Nations of Fort Liard and the federal government developed a geothermal power project, the feasibility of which was confirmed by a third-party review. The company met with every obligation for a Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board permit. The failure of NTPC to provide a power purchase agreement stopped the project.

Let me start with one specific. What was GNWT’s investment of taxpayer dollars and funds into this project? That is, including third...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess, once again, our second largest department budget-wise, operations is relegated to 2 percent for the third year in a row of our capital budget, 2 percent. This despite repeated and ongoing requests of MLAs to help set the priorities, the Finance Minister mentioned, year after year, to put more capital dollars into this department to reflect our regard for education as the number one priority and capital being an important part of that.

Sissons, of course, in Yellowknife, I heard the Minister just say our approach is to focus on schools that badly need it. Well...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For years this government has professed support for renewable energy and concern about cost of living. While enjoying reduced costs from converting our own infrastructure to renewables, we’ve hung communities out to dry. Soaring power costs to ratepayers and drains on tax revenues of hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies have been the result.

A sad case in point was the Fort Liard Geothermal Project. The Fort Liard Geothermal Project was led by private developer, Borealis GeoPower in partnership with the Acho Dene Koe First Nation of Fort Liard. The federal role...

I thought I heard we’ve got a $6 million capital budget for Finance here. Am I missing something? I think we’re dealing with the Department of Finance capital budget here. This seems to be a much more significant portion than I had originally thought. I just wanted to make sure I had the context right. Thank you.

Thank you for that information. I heard that there will be the $50,000 cost and I believe the deputy minister said some additional going to this project from operations. Perhaps I should know that amount. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just on the detail here, I’m just wondering if I can get a brief explanation of what an IT system to implement functionality within the treasury suite of applications to forecast cash requirements and manage portfolio investments means.

What about the substantial drop from last year to the proposed year here? Do we have any information handy on that?

That would be a feat, and I’ll ask the Minister to keep us updated on that.

I guess my last question is: Will there be any new costs for GNWT as a result of the final assessment?

I might add, Mr. Speaker, the most expensive power in the world is what this Power Corporation is producing, and this Minister is letting this go, passing up what other opportunities we have missed like this.

The Minister will be happy to learn that despite government failure and the best efforts of NTPC to stand and watch this exciting opportunity evaporate, Borealis GeoPower is still prepared to move forward with this project without the federal subsidy.

My question is: Is this government now prepared to move forward and capitalize on this still available and valuable opportunity? Mahsi.