Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think there is a shared concern about the growth of government. We’ve squeezed government back from the days of annual 6 percent plus growth down to 2, down to next year we’re going to be aiming to 1.5 percent.

As you’ve heard around the table already, there is a concern and demand that we spend more money on program areas at the same time as we try to manage our money. We agree that the size of the public service is very large. As we try to control our growth going forward, one of the things that we are looking at is controlling position growth, unless it’s tied to a...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate the Member’s comments. As we get into the detail with those program areas that I know the Member has referenced on-the-land programs and some of the other work that has to be done, we will be able to have those discussions when the Ministers come to the table.

I appreciate his support for the Mackenzie Valley fibre optic line as well as, of course, the work that we are trying to do on the Inuvik-Tuk highway. Part of our commitment to try to spread the wealth around the Northwest Territories as much as possible, and these are, I think, in the long run, very...

We agree that we have infrastructure challenges, which is why we have taken the planning steps that we have in terms of two years of fiscal discipline so we can, in fact, put more money into infrastructure. We have a $3 billion infrastructure deficit. We’ve identified and we’re starting to put some very serious money into Stanton and we’ve acknowledged that it needs a midlife retrofit. It was built at a time when the population was a lot lower. That’s going to be a $200 million to $300 million project and we’re on the road to taking care of that. We’re building long-term care facilities. In...

The deputy reminded me that we’ve already shared those principles in the rationale for the decentralization with committee, but we’d be happy to share it again. No, none of the existing incumbents will be moving. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have with me Mike Aumond, deputy minister of Finance; and Sandy Kalgutkar, deputy secretary to FMB. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We would, of course, share that list with the Members and if they need a briefing on rationale, we could do that as well. I must confess, I didn’t quite catch the question on the BIP office. Is the Member asking what their thought was about being decentralized? I didn’t quite understand that. If I could get clarification, please.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled Northwest Territories Main Estimates, 2013-2014. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This Assembly started with a four-year budget plan, the first two years focussing on fiscal discipline to build our cash reserve in order that in the final two years we would have an enhanced infrastructure budget. The budget presented today is the second budget of the 17th Legislative Assembly and represents a cooperative approach, enabling us to meet the objectives of our four-year plan.

We have been consistent in our message that the government’s fiscal plan must include operating surpluses to fund infrastructure and pay down short-term debt. While we are prepared to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Mr. Chuck Tolley and his wife, Mrs. Muriel Tolley, and one of their pride and joys, young James Tolley, who has the hard job of looking after me as my executive assistant. Welcome to the Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that I will deliver the budget address on Thursday, February 7, 2013.