David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. I'm wondering now if you'd like to bring in witnesses.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In terms of the annual report, I’m just wondering, will that come out as a supplement to the Power Corporation’s annual report or will it be separate and distinct from the Power Corporation’s annual report?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Committee has been considering Bill 4, Northwest Territories Hydro Corporation Act; Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act; and Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. I would like to report progress, with one motion being adopted, that Bills 5 and 16 are ready for third reading, and that Bill 4 is ready for third reading, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank Mr. Voytilla for that. If we are looking at a loan guarantee -- and that’s probably what it will end up being -- there will be a cost associated with that. I don’t know whether you want to call it a subsidy or not or whether or not we’ll get those costs back or not, I mean those are things that are going to be worked out into the future, but the federal government recently increased the NWT’s borrowing limit from $300 million to $500 million. I’m wondering if the GNWT does have to backstop and sign some loan guarantees for the Taltson expansion, what will...

Thank you. Bill 16 is now ready for third reading. Thank you, committee. At this time, I'd like to ask what is the wish of committee. Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to welcome the Minister and his staff that are with us this afternoon to discuss Bill 4. I want to provide a few opening comments if I could.

First of all, I wanted to publicly thank those individuals in the communities we visited for coming out and providing us the input that they did on Bill 4. It was much welcomed. A couple of other things Madam Chair alluded to in committee’s remarks was an issue over compensation from the initial Taltson development still weighs heavy on the minds of many in that region. I think it’s something that needs to be taken...

Thank you. That concludes Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. To the bill as a whole.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am going to support the motion that is before us for many of the reasons my colleagues have talked about. With all due respect, I think to my colleague from the Sahtu and others, I know these are regional positions, but I have been consistent with challenging the government on job position growth and I am believer, Mr. Chairman, that the government has a systemic inability to manage its human resources, always has had and continues to have. We really need to focus more on the future and come up with a comprehensive plan.

What I see happening, Mr. Chairman, is the...

Thank you. I'd like to call Committee of the Whole to order and ask what is the wish of the committee. Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request unanimous consent to return to item 15 on the Order Paper.