Floyd Roland

Mr. Chairman, the boilers identified for replacement, as the Member highlighted, are to use a more efficient system. The one fortunate thing to point out is when we can capture the market — that is, take advantage of the lower-cost products as well as companies that are willing to enter into agreements where you can replace the existing unit and just pay the O&M, in a sense — that is a benefit. In a number of areas, we are unable to continue with that type of practice because it’s just not available. As well, I’ve been informed that the cost of the materials — the pellets — to run these units...

Mr. Chairman, it’s perimeter fencing to ensure that the design work can be completed and that tenders of construction allow for summer completion. In both cases Minister Lafferty may have more detail to provide as to why this should proceed at this time. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, it is my understanding they will be carrying or requesting a carryover. I’m not sure of the exact amount, but they will be carrying over some of the money they haven’t expended in prior years, and that money will be available to them to continue the work they are involved in at this point. There will be some carryover that can still be used as we proceed with this plan.

Mr. Speaker, once again in this debate, those are actions of the 15th Legislative Assembly in terms of those motions that were passed. But in the life of this government, the 16th Assembly, the information has flowed. We’ve showed that information. We know where the dollars are. Those dollar marks haven’t changed since the last update to Members.

With the request for a peer review, this project…. The lenders have been involved with our lawyers and looking at all documentation; the process has undergone quite a review in the sense of where it is required to go.

Yes, the Member quoted the cost...

I thank the Member for his words in this area and the interest he has for the facilities we have dealing with those seniors in the Northwest Territories — elders and working with the groups. I think the dementia facility is an example of a partnership between the government, NGOs and industry to make this possible. It’s that type of program — thinking outside the box — that allows this to happen. If we were to stick to our typical process, it would be much more problematic to do this and come up with a cost-effective way of doing this type of work.

Our experience in the North has been, when we...

Mr. Speaker, the biggest things we’re working at is taking the appropriate amount of time to ensure that what is being advanced as initiatives or cost-saving areas is, in fact, going to be cost-saving areas. It is going to minimize the impact on the delivery of programs and services.

But the cold, hard reality is that if we don’t take the necessary steps today, then we are mortgaging our children’s future — and I would say mortgaging at a sub-prime level, which we don’t want to see happen.

We are taking initiatives, looking at how we do this, taking the necessary time. We will be presenting...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ms. Bisaro is correct in the process that we are undertaking. At least at this stage the interim process is a feature of how we do business. We don’t see it too often in the life of a government, and this allows us to then have a very good look at the way we do our budgeting, the exercises we go through, and to make the required changes as we would like to see it as Members of the 16th Assembly. That is why we are doing the interim appropriation process.

The capital plan is one where we also realize that we’ll need to move ahead with key projects; for example, in areas...

Mr. Speaker, as to the reason why we’re moving forward in this manner, instead of a main budget being this session we’re in, we’re looking to delay it so that we can do the right analysis for what we bring forward in cost savings as well as investing in the new initiatives. The message has been that we need to look at that.

The earlier question today about the deputy ministers being involved in reviewing who’s being hired is part of that overlap. The policies haven’t changed. We’re just ensuring that if we’re going to go through this exercise, we don’t unduly affect employees that are either...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Joining me at the witness table is Mr. Sandy Kalgutkar, who is the director of Budget Evaluation for the Financial Management Board Secretariat.

Mr. Speaker, the concern is being raised out there about the government’s focus on reduction. There are rumours about the number of positions that may be taken out of the system, and they are just that — rumours.

We are working on putting the information together. We’re looking for input from Members. We’re looking for the method of how we’re going to do this.

More refocusing of government across departments’ initiatives will probably be brought forward and have an impact in ‘09-‘10. Some of the exercises we have to do is going to have an impact on our employee levels because, Mr. Speaker...