Floyd Roland

Mr. Speaker, that is, in fact, one of the areas that we’re looking at — the basing of fees within departments, of removing those types of dollars or identified positions that are not filled, as well as attrition.

If we set a target and we know that people are retiring, then we could look at doing that. If there are areas that are not a priority but we are reinvesting in initiatives, we can see if we can transfer employees over as well.

So there’s a whole number of tools we can do in limiting the impact on our staff. That is some of the work that we are looking at as we compare the strategic...

Mr. Chairman, the area of these projects is highlighted.. The timing of it is why it’s included in this area. There are existing structures in place that do require…. Although it says there is no new money, this is work for existing features of our facilities, and would require them to be done and dealt with so that there is no further deterioration, potentially, and looking at the asset itself of this piece.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

It’s not my intention at this time to be writing a letter to the Senators who are not making the trip. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, the area of evergreening…. In fact, when that program first was introduced to the government of the Northwest Territories a number of years ago, the time limit used to be three years. As Members of that Assembly had requested that it be extended, it was done to that limit.

Although we've got a time frame, it is not for every system we have available. Again, because of the resources, it is done department by department. They go around and do the system replacements. In some cases they're still catching up; they're still older than the five-year window that's there. They're still...

Mr. Speaker, we’ll be — later on today, I hope, and throughout the rest of our session — dealing with specifics as we proceed and looking for approvals from this Assembly.

Again, for the specific areas, I need to get the details and actually sit down with the Member and see where things are.

Mr. Speaker, the question asked of them, as I responded the other day, was work we could do for our membership. I am sure, even when the question was asked, that the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation’s interest is in looking at what liabilities they may be at risk for.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess, number one, I wouldn’t want to, for debate on this subject, say that the Member has raised an issue that I think falls under more debate than what’s happening. Specifically to the issue that she’s raised on this item, we know that as Members of this House we debate a lot of things in this House or respond as Ministers are required to respond to questions that Members put before us. We respond with information from briefing notes that are done up by departments and so on and so forth with that area. Even the questions, as she’s referenced herself to this...

I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Thebacha, that Bill 2, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2007-2008, be read for the third time.

I move, seconded by the Hon. Member from Deh Cho, that Bill 1, Interim Appropriation Act, 2008-2009, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes the government of the Northwest Territories to make interim appropriations for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.