Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm pleased to present the 2016-2017 Main Estimates for the Department of Public Works and Services. The department's estimates will support the core programs and services which help achieve our government-wide goals while providing the best value to the government, communities, businesses, and residents of the Northwest Territories. These estimates propose an increase of $1.4 million, or one per cent from the 2015-2016 Main Estimates, which is budgeted at $120 million.

Highlights of the proposed estimates include:

continued investment in operations and maintenance for new...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The funds that are provided to the Arctic Energy Alliance are for all the communities throughout the Northwest Territories, not only the Yellowknife area. The bigger thing that should be noted is that we will be doing a new energy plan, and within that plan we'll be identifying for future years the direction of the department and where we should be going in the expenditures and revenues, that we'd be looking within that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Actually, the other seniors' facilities may look similar, but they're actually a different design, so we're not projecting that there will be any other instance with those different design buildings.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That was a transfer from the low-water monies that was incurred in the two years prior to this Assembly, thank you, and it was transferred to Arctic Energy Alliance. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The breakdown for that $440,000 is for: the energy research and analysis, it's for the Aklavik variable speed generator $300,000; it's for wind monitoring $40,000; and hydrology monitoring and forecasting in the North Slave Region at $100,000. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the priority for Public Works and Services has really been in the thermal communities because of the huge costs of transportation costs to get diesel into the communities so that they can function. But with the new energy plan that we'll be looking at we are considering assets for the southern communities as well. So I'm not committing to anything, but the new energy plan we'll be looking at things, for example, soliciting; is it viable to solicit the federal government to get an extra run from the Taltson. You know, those kinds of things will be reviewed within the...

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide an update on efforts to support gender equality in the Northwest Territories today. Equal opportunity for the development of the human potential of both women and men is a benefit to society as a whole and is the responsibility and concern of individuals, government, and non-government organizations. The Status of Women Council of the NWT, Native Women’s Association of the NWT, Yellowknife Women’s Society, and the YWCA of Yellowknife have challenged us and other NWT politicians, policy makers, and individuals to take the short introduction to gender-based...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Actually, on page 356, you’ll see the capital amount of $3.4 million, and that is to purchase land, and it’s also for one sixunit in Fort Smith, $37.5 million on page 356. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was tempted to ask the Member if he would like us to remove it. Instead of giving you that answer, I will ask Mr. Martin to speak to it.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If the Salvation Army does not commit to working with us, then we will try to find another entity to provide those services. If we can’t find anyone, then I am sorry, we will have to bring it forward and look at alternatives. Thank you, Mr. Chair.