Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'm looking at the business plan that is now a public document, and I see that the geomatics portion of this activity area decreases from about $3,063,000 to $2.7 million, so can someone tell me what is happening in here? Are we cutting money in here so we can fund the Western Arctic Geomatics Centre, or what is happening, Mr. Chair? Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that. That comes as news to me. I never heard that before that the Public Utilities Board is going to be moved to administration or ministerial reporting, or whatever is going to go to Infrastructure. If I have questions, then, about how we are actually going to support net metering, is the Minister then suggesting that I need to ask those of the Minister of Infrastructure? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Yes, I am happy to accept that, but we have been talking about this for two years. At least I have been talking about it for two years. There is currently unsecured liability for the existing condition of the site. Yes, they have met terms and conditions of the water licence, they have paid up the security under the water licence to the state that it is at, but right now we do not have enough security set aside if something went off the rails with the property to cover the existing liabilities. That is the problem. If the Minister has discretion to change that so that we are not on the hook...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess I will just go on record as having questions or concerns about this particular expenditure. If there had been more of an emphasis on infrastructure, maybe getting our territorial formula funding arrangement changed, I could support this. It looks to me like this is a lot of the sort of messaging that the Premier has already started with his red alert campaign. I don't think I could support this.

I want to move on to one other item in this section of the budget. It is also highlighted in the budget address document of additional $595,000 to be allocated to help...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. In this section, there is a line item here for Public Utilities Board. In the mandate for the 18th Assembly, one of the commitments is to improve net metering for our residents so that we can try to build more energy self-sufficiency. Have there been any changes in direction to the Public Utilities Board with regard to net metering? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I want to go back to Prairie Creek just for a minute, if I can. I am trying to understand whether there are any legal impediments to us increasing the financial security now to cover the existing liabilities that are at the site. As I understand it, the lease is now in an overhold tenancy position. Are there any legal impediments to us changing the financial security now to cover the existing liabilities? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I am just not terribly comfortable with having a $50,000 pot of money to bring people down to Ottawa without really sort of having many parameters around that, but I guess we will just have to see how it is used. On the contract services of $100,000, can someone explain what that is for? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Again, I would like to thank the Minister for agreeing to improve the registry, but the single most important thing is that there is a lack of any information on the purpose or content of the meetings. Obviously, some elements of confidentiality must be maintained, but simply giving a name under the heading "telephone call" does not provide much information on the nature of our Ministers' activities in this consensus government. Will the Minister work with Regular MLAs to develop criteria for providing more informative listings that describe the general subjects of such meetings to promote...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, it sounds like there is a little bit more to be told about that. If the Minister wants to share some other information with Regular MLAs, or at least the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment, can he give us a more detailed update of what's happening there? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. My colleague from Yellowknife Centre raised some concerns I was going to speak to with regard to this additional staff person in Ottawa, but I have a few other questions on it. $387,000 sounds like a lot of money for one person. Can the Minister just provide some kind of breakdown on how this money is going to be used? Thanks, Mr. Chair.