Michael Miltenberger

My understanding is the successful proponents in both of these cases could be run under the consignment model and they are reverting to a model that they have long experience with. We have consignment stores running across the land. Once again, we believe we have the capacity, where the systems are set up, with enough checks and balances and accountability to address the issues that the Member has raised. The issue or the concerns that should something go wrong that is totally unanticipated in all the processes and structures and consignment models that we now run, we have the ability to sort...

Mr. Chair, I am just harking back to the last government where there was a lot of work done on looking for savings and efficiencies. It took almost two years of discussion and debate. When there was a move to act on recommendations, we acted partially on some of the recommendations, not all. There was significant pushback from MLAs when we talked about inclusive schooling and people-teacher ratio, for example, and the re-profiling the overfunding that was going on at the time. When we moved to act on it, it was a hugely contentious issue, which I suppose speaks most clearly to the issue of...

We’ve been working extensively on this. There is projected to be some savings to the consumers in Yellowknife, and we’ll track all the liquor that goes through and all the money that’s made and we’ll be prepared to report back to committee after September when things kick into gear and we start getting some actuals to look at.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There is an ability to move funds between activities. There is a report that’s done on a regular basis, interactivity transfers where we have to account for all the money that’s moved, how it’s moved and to ensure that it’s moved appropriately. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The contracts in Yellowknife don’t come into effect until September, so we won’t see any actuals until probably the end of the fiscal year by the time they go into business and we start seeing what the numbers true up to be.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We don’t have that level of detail with us but we can commit to provide it to committee.

Yes, Madam Chair, we will provide that information. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Member’s comments on the overall applauding of the work of the government and his continued support, which has been there right from the start, in terms of the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Link. We are of a like mind that if our very conservative estimates prove to be wrong and that we’re going to generate more revenue and it’s going to be much more fruitful than what we anticipated, then what we would fully intend to stay on the track that the Member has recommended and that we get on, which is pay it down sooner so that it is paid for sooner.

The FAA...

Yes, we’re part of consensus government here. If it’s the will of the Assembly to have work done on this at this juncture, we’ll look at trying to take that direction. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The resource revenues referred to in the budget is the money that is put aside for all the Aboriginal governments and will be accessed by the signatories, the share they have agreed to. The other money is… I think they have a year to decide if they are going to come on board. We are still in that year and we will have that discussion here in the next couple of weeks as we approach April. So the $2 million referred to for mediation is ongoing.

The Member’s comment about collective bargaining in light of the budget circumstances is going to be important on a go-forward...