Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I would like to think that all of our projects have opportunities for northern procurement. I'm not sure what the exact procurement will be on this particular project, but I'm sure the Department of Infrastructure will keep Members updated as we move closer to the work on the bridge and what procurement, but we like to think that all of our projects have an opportunity for local and northern procurement. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding that the price tag on the new bridge is going to be $53 million. It will be built beside the existing bridge, and it will be built to specifications that would allow it to handle larger loads. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Correct, Mr. Chair. The mining industry did have some input. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have with me, to my right, Mr. David Stewart, deputy minister of the Department of Finance. To my left, I have Mr. Sandy Kalgutkar, deputy secretary of the FMB. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table the following document entitled "2016-2017 Northwest Territories Water Stewardship Strategy: Progress Review Summary." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, I'm not saying MTS is going to be with us for 10 years, I'm saying that the loan is supposed to be paid over 10 years. I suppose if MTS were sold then we would get our money back. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the contribution of small businesses across the Northwest Territories. That is why we believe we have many other programs that are in place to help the businesses grow. I think we have demonstrated that just recently with working with one of the local manufacturing companies to come up with a benefit that would be beneficial to them, and not only to them, to the consumers, so we believe we have programs in place. I take the Member's point about it being a part of the mandate, but the mandate is for four years, so we still have two years left.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following four documents entitled "Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2017-2018," "Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2017-2018," "Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2018-2019," and "Interim Public Accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the Year Ended March 31, 2017." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will not commit to actually putting that $750,000 into other programs. I did say that, through the programs we offer within the government to support small business, that $750,000 that we would save by not implementing the tax would definitely help to fund some of that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we have two years left in this mandate. It was not a promise that I made, so it is not going to be a broken promise. I understand that it was part of the mandate, but again, the mandate was for four years, not two.