Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First and foremost, we have to make it clear that within the Department of Finance we have no control over what the industry does in this area. The only place our government has an impact is in POL, or petroleum products division within Public Works and Services where we supply to communities where there is no private sector. Here in the North, the rest of the communities, the only impact we have is on the fuel tax side. That hasn’t changed, but I will request the department go back and look at the changes and then we’ll have to send an inquiry into some of the bulk...

Thank you, Madam Chair. As we’ve heard numerous times in this House the concern about position growth. Within FMB one of things that we send back to departments as we begin any budget preparation is growth and positions would be looked in a serious manner. We then deal with the request being brought before us.

Health care facilities and boards are a challenge. We have provided information to committee members. The deficits aren’t always climbing; there are fluctuations. We have some health boards in a surplus situation. Some are right on the line. From time to time, there are some that are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess I want to be clear that in responding to this question I’m not defending big oil and the way they set their prices. However, from the work from the Department of Finance, nothing has changed in the way we deal with the fuel price in the Northwest Territories or from the fuel tax that we have on fuel in the Northwest Territories. So the prices that are changed are as a result of what we were told when we raised this issue with industry, is rack price adjustments that happen throughout Canada. For example, when this issue was raised in my...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the process we have in place does allow for the review of the capital projects. For example, as we have recently gone through our budget process and approving the capital program that was established or the capital acquisition program that was established as part of our budget process there, when a project goes out and is tendered and prices have come in higher than anticipated, the department would have to come back to get more money or, for example, change the scope of work. So that would reduce the project itself. We would have to weigh that as to a...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, specifically in the area of capital carry-overs, it is a concern and as we’ve looked at it I guess we look at a term of we’re at the beginnings of a trend, I guess we can say. We’ve looked at significant growth, for example, in carry-overs from the previous years’ budget process and this year again further growth in that area. It is a concern for us. It is on the radar screen. We are looking at a number of factors and working with the departments as to what we can do as a government overall to try and curtail the type of carry-overs and looking at the...

Yes, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2007-2008, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are dedicated staff within HR. As well, we do have some staff within the department and I will get that information. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have stepped up in that area of recruitment and are going to universities and colleges that have the nursing programs beyond our own program in trying to encourage nurses to come north. Put out packages and extend the fact that we have this new program of community health nurse side and nurse practitioner side as well, and we’re starting to do that work and looking at expanding it to bring more nurses to the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we will go back and look at some of the price changes and request information and then forward that on to Members. Thank you.