Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This funding is coming from transitional funding tied to devolution, and there are two things at play here. One is we have taken over about $63 million worth of new programs and services that we’ve integrated into the government with many new responsibilities, mandates and authorities. We’ve integrated them into the Government of the Northwest Territories. As well, we have a communication infrastructure that’s 20 years old and in need of enhancement prior to devolution, even more so now after devolution. We’ve taken on, for example, significant regulatory functions. We...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 57, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2014-2015, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2014-15 fiscal year.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 57, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2014-2015, be read for the third time. Thank you.

Nothing has been arbitrarily taken away and we provide a role, as government, in an orderly measured way when we think it’s required to make sure that the system that we have before us functions to the best efficiency possible.

I wasn’t sure if that was a rhetorical question, but we have people coming and going all the time. We have some of the best benefit packages, lifestyle issues that we think would attract folks, as do the private sector. But the reality is we have a fly-in/fly-out population that is fairly large. We have our birthrate that balances out, but on the exodus side we have some folks leaving, a few more leaving than are coming. So, those are questions, one that Mr. Bromley raised, that we are trying to deal with, with incentives to come here and to stay here and to bring folks from other places where...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 57, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2014-2015, be read for the first time.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As has been pointed out, we’re here at the will of the House. We’ve identified an issue that we think has some urgency in being addressed, which is why it’s here. There are a number of factors that caused us to get here, not get involved or inserted into the budget process. So, if this is not proceeded with, then we will be one year further behind in terms of addressing some of the key issues tied to improving our communications infrastructure. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are cost of living issues here. There are decisions being made in a community that’s interested in lowering those costs of living challenges, and it’s an issue for the territorial government. The Power Corporation is a vehicle for all people in the Northwest Territories, a Crown corporation with 42,000 shareholders. That’s the underlying impetus here. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is a highly competitive area, especially economic-based immigration, so we have to look at what’s available in Canada, what may be available elsewhere, and we have to be able to make sure that the people who have the skills we need are where work’s possible, probable and available in the Northwest Territories, and all that requires some of the seed money to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “2014 NWT Fire Season Review Report.”