David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to go back to item 7, please.

Mr. Speaker, I will try to make it as simple as I can. There was a list submitted to the federal government on projects from this government. We as Ordinary Members have not had an opportunity to put items on that list, but yet, through the strategic committees that are set up on the other side, they had that discussion internally. There was a list sent to Ottawa in regard to projects they wanted to see, on that side of the House, but nowhere on that list is reference to a project that I would like to see on it.

I’d like to ask the Minister: when will the Members on this side of the House have...

Mr. Speaker, the Minister was nowhere even close to answering my question. My question was: what does the community have to do to get on the list of projects that are going to be funded through the federal government, through the Building Canada Fund, the strategic initiative investment fund?

Nowhere on this list do I see any communities that are not in Ministers’ ridings, for one thing.

Interjections.

As a Member for the 13th Assembly, we went through a similar exercise, but at least the 23 members of the 13th Assembly were involved. We knew which departments were going to be cut. We knew exactly what our situation was so we could go back to our constituents and explain it to them.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I will continue to fight with regard to the constituents of the Mackenzie Delta and the access road for Aklavik. I have to state that I’m very disappointed that there was nothing mentioned in the budget.

I’d like to call the committee to order.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters. Bill 4, Bill 7, Committee Report 2-16(2), Committee Report 3-16(2). What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Hawkins.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to know: as the so-called seasonal positions are being cut, are those individuals eligible for a pension from this government for services which are seasonal?

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Human Resources. In light of the budget cuts and positions and whatnot, you have individuals who are making less than $30,000 cut through this process. For people living in communities, with $30,000 you're struggling as it is. Then to take whatever little seasonal job they have away and save $30,000, it will probably cost you $30,000 just to deal with the processing of this person.

I'd like to ask the Minister: have you looked at seasonal positions and looked at alternatives for those seasonal positions, where you’re only looking at saving $30,000...

We as the 16th Assembly have set a list of priorities that we’d like to achieve. There seems to be some misinterpretation of how we see it as Ordinary Members. When you talk about building capacity or trying to reduce the cost of living, I think people have different opinions on it. I think it’s appropriate that all Members have a choice to voice their opinions. When we look at these projects, where we have access to some $270 million of federal funds, where we can really make a difference to the Northwest Territories, it’s awfully hard for Members to try to illustrate what we mean by reducing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Premier. In light of consensus government motions that have passed unanimously in this House, and also items and issues that Members raised in committees and in the process that we have to have inclusion of all Members of this House when a budget’s being developed....

In light of what we see here, I’d like to ask the Premier exactly how he sees motions being passed in this Legislative Assembly about matters which are brought before a Minister to deal with an item which is critical to their constituents — to be able to work with all Members...

I also touched on the other element: dealing with being able to look at the cost of food. It is going up. We do have a major cost for transportation — goods and services into communities by air, by road. Again, those costs are passed on to the consumers.

I’d like to ask the Minister how we’re going to look at the food prices as part of this review in light of your energy costs, and also the costs in regard to consumption. I talked to the mayor of Paulatuk, who told me that a case of 12 cans of pop is $60. You look at milk in Tuktoyaktuk; for 2 litres it’s $10. And those costs are going to go up...