Michael Miltenberger

I want to reassure the Member that this position would be able to provide some support in that area. There also is in Sahtu a fairly sophisticated, I think, well-versed, well-experienced group of people that work in the communities and the various boards that are there. So, between us all, we will be looking to make sure that we understand clearly the technical nature of all the applications that are submitted, and this water person will be one of the folks that are key in that regard. Thank you.

Thank you. We have one of the supplementary appropriation requests before the House has the final supplementary request, which will bring to a close the fire season costs and then we’ve, as well, engaged in a comprehensive review that is still underway in terms of the fire season and its impacts that were discussed yesterday when we were looking at ENR’s budget. One of the key areas being looked at is the administration and finance side. Thank you.

The Member is correct; this individual will be part of a broader water team that exists in the Government of the Northwest Territories. We’ve invested, over the last five years or so, millions of dollars in setting up community-based water monitoring initiatives and stations and in the Member’s constituency as well. Where the testing is going on, results are being collected. To address some of the issues the Member has talked about, we’re very aware of the concerns of the folks in Good Hope, for example, and this person will be an added resource to work with all the other resources we have...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The borrowing plan, which will be debated and approved in the House, is a key part of the bill that’s currently being reviewed by committee. So that will definitely be there. I’m assuming it will receive the full support of the Legislature. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have with me Ernie Campbell, deputy minister; and Susan Craig, director of finance and administration for ENR. Thank you.

It could be both.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 43, An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, be read for the third time. Thank you.

We have come up with a final supplementary request for the cost of fire season, which is roughly $60 million when you look at all the money including the money we had in the budget. We can account for that. What is being done, the full cost accounting, since the end of fire season is an operational review of how we are structured, how we’ve done business, the final accounting of what our expenditures were, communication issues. We’ve heard any number of suggestions from the communities on the issue of fire smarting, the command and control structure of firefighting, all those types of things.

T...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The short-term borrowing is a borrowing that takes place over the course of one year. Long-term borrowing is borrowing that has a much longer time frame than that.

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with third reading of Bill 43, An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act. Thank you.

---Consent granted