Floyd Roland

The total budget line stays the same over the same number of years. It is changing, though, from one year to the next. Instead of such a large amount being utilized in 2007-08, as highlighted, the number is now $340,000, and the balance is then being redistributed over 2008-09 through to 2011-12.

If I understand that question correctly, the Corridors for Canada was part of our work in establishing projects with partnerships, in the sense of putting all this together with all jurisdictions. That was our contribution to that piece. The request was put on the table, and the formal response…. They have dealt with pieces of it from time to time.

I believe there is renewed interest in this area. Looking at the resources being taken out of the North, they should be reinvested in key infrastructure projects in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Chairman, we’ll be able to provide the information on these scheduled sitting days in total for all communities, along with what Minister Lafferty is committed to providing as well.

Mr. Chairman, this deals with the existing situation. The department business plan and their capital acquisition plan would have to identify these areas. They do have a major culvert replacement fund available, and that’s where, for example, the $425,000 would be allocated from this specific area. I am not sure if the Minister of Transportation would have all of that information here this evening on the plan. They are going forward, as well. That plan would have to be voted on by this Assembly as we proceed with our budget processes.

Mr. Chairman, the fact is that the $250,000 is an addition to the original infrastructure contribution amount, and that is why this one is treated in this manner. It’s not that this is the total amount. This is adding to the original cost of that facility, so we have to add it to this piece. Again, it’s the back and forth of O&M to capital again and dealing with who would own the asset when the work is done.

Mr. Chairman, for this fiscal year, up until we agree on a new budget with new initiatives, $304,000.

Mr. Speaker, one thing we have to realize is, as I discussed with Members, as the lawyers are doing their work, there is a time frame that they have to meet as well. That is coming up before the end of this month.

We can pull the work together as quick as we can and try to get a quick view of it from FMBS on what the potentials are there and try to come back within a couple of days to see what we’re able to provide.

Mr. Chairman, we’ll get that information to the Member as well.

The total of the project on this one is identified by the department at $1.925 million; $425,000 will be reallocated from the major culvert replacement capital project. So they are realigning the $425,000 and asking for the $1.5 million.

We can have the Minister provide the schedule of events they have identified and the costing with those.

I guess, for the record, the Member says it is not right. In fact, it is not wrong. This is following the Public Sector Accounting Board and how we deal with our capital and its amortization. This also has changed since we’ve gone to the New Deal with communities, where the capital program has in fact been transferred.

There are a number of smaller communities that are still in settlements that are an exemption to that, and there are a few projects that didn’t get wrapped into the original transfer. We’ll see less of these in the future.