Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, the longer-term plans and the formal training for folks will, as well, be built in and reflected in the various business plans. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There would be information contained on that in the business plan that was presented to committee. Thank you.

That may be a step that we would want to consider first, though I would suggest we have some discussion as a Legislature to see what our thinking is and have our own plan so that when we stand up to the federal government to ask them to do something, we know clearly what we’re doing back home and how we think that should be better reflected on the national stage. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Department of Transportation will be looking at issues related to roads. We also have a broader mandate with some marine, as well and making sure that there’s consultation. With the communities, we recognize very clearly that there are some key communities that are going to be targeted by shoreline erosion, and significant dollars have already, over the years, been spent there. As the polar ice cap melts and they say the water levels are going to rise and the severity of storms increases, it’s going to be an issue that’s going to require more and more attention.

I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That type of fundamental policy debate I think is always good for any government. We spend now 65 cents of every dollar on social programs; we invest a tremendous amount of time and effort in a host of program areas from housing to education, income support, health to assist in those kinds of areas. We have a focus on cost of living to communities. So we would be interested in that type of a broad policy discussion. Thank you.

I just want to reassure the Member and the House that as we move forward with our climate change adaptation plans and mitigation plans, that we will be spending money. Right now it’s not clearly budgeted for. I can point to, for example, the response that we had to undertake with the rotting piles issue as the ground has warmed up and all the piles across the land and the buildings up north required replacement or adjusting or repair, that we came forward through our own budgeting process with money that was built in to accommodate that.

The same is going to happen in these circumstances. As...

Michael Aumond, deputy minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Thank you.

We appreciate the support from the Member on these efforts. Thank you.

Margaret Melhorn, deputy minister of Finance; Paul Guy, acting deputy minister of Public Works and Services.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 2, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2009-2010, be read for the first time. Thank you.