Floyd Roland

Mr. Speaker, all the documents that are required to bring this deal to a closure. There are a number of schedules. I don’t have a list handy with me right now, but those will bring this whole process to closure, and the banks will be satisfied. The Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, ourselves, all parties would be signing the appropriate documents. It could be at the close of the day, if we can get them all together, or tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, as we’ve come through a convention and as we’re being directed, and especially as the Premier is being directed to deliver this message, we would, on the cabinet side, be abstaining from this vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is quoting the worst-case scenario, if the project were to fail. As we’ve laid out, the traffic counts and volumes, our commitment to the project…. As was stated in this House, we recognize, as the G.N.W.T., that we are backstopping this project. So yes, through the process, through the whole arrangement, it’s been known that we will end up backing this project if it was a worst-case scenario.

But I did point out, as she was reading from Hansard, responding to a part of a question, the fact is that the lending agent who is lending the money to the Deh Cho...

Mr. Speaker, the reduction scenario and areas where we need to find permanent savings is in the area of $60 million. The target for reinvestment, putting back into the strategic areas, as we’ve highlighted in the 16th Legislative Assembly, is targeted at $75 million. We’re going to have to start at a smaller pace because we realize that we won’t be able to achieve the savings, number one, and enough savings to reinvest, number two. So it will start off at a smaller pace and grow for the life of this Assembly as we continue to reinvest. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will deliver the budget address on Thursday, May 22, 2008.

Mr. Speaker, we went through an exercise of allocation and, as well, giving guidelines as to what could be considered for savings or for reallocation or reinvestment. Some of the criteria of our programs — mandatory delivery programs, or what we’re legislated to do — is something that would have to be reviewed by every department. For the other areas, for example, we sat down in the 16th Assembly and came up with our vision, goals and priorities. Along with that, we’ve turned those into the strategic investment initiatives and highlighted a number of areas for reinvestment. The departments...

Mr. Speaker, a correction: it was 400,000 litres of fuel.

When it first came up, our communication between the Petroleum Products Division and Imperial was to see if, in fact, there was a shortfall that needed to be addressed. We had some volume that we felt we could allow them to use and reimburse us later. We were informed at that point that that was not necessary. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the work that we have been doing is ensuring that there’s fuel available in the community, working with Imperial on that side. We are aware of some of the comments or the issues between NTCL and Imperial. We’ve tried to gather information on that side.

When it comes right down to it, we have a limited role that we can play. But we are concerned and we are sharing that concern that it doesn’t matter to us, as representatives, if it was a community we served or the private sector: their arrangements to get fuel or supplies to a community are their business. But they should ensure...

The work that was done previously has incorporated a group. It was originally through the Aboriginal Summit, where a joint proposal was put forward to Canada on a devolution resource revenue sharing agreement. Since that day things have changed. The Aboriginal Summit is no longer in place.

I would use this avenue as an avenue to address what may be done if there’s a joint initiative we can establish to move forward and work with them on that basis. As well, from that basis, if there’s further direction on initiatives and work, or further information we need to get, we’re back to that process of...

Mr. Speaker, as I stated, we have a package together that we are going to use with departments to highlight when consultation is necessary and needs to be done, what steps would be required, and what is considered actual consultation. As well, we have to use the court cases that have been settled out there and have an impact, because that affects the way governments would consult with each other.

There also needs to be the recognition that consultation isn’t a one-way street. It requires both parties to come together. When it’s a specific initiative, when contact is made, there’s follow-up...