Robert C. McLeod

The evidence points to the fact that our expenditures are rising a lot quicker than with our revenues, and with our limited base, we would put a terrible burden on those that are paying taxes. It could work both ways. We may have folks leaving if they're paying too many taxes or we could have folks actually come into the territories if we provide opportunity and a fairly steady, predictable tax rate. Again, as I said before, we will commit to working with committee. We have committed to working with committee in reviewing our budget and our options, and I need to point out that Newfoundland...

We're not hoping the public responds; speaking from past experience, we do know that the public is fairly plugged in and they do respond to a lot of the issues that we raise in this House. I take the Member's point, though. I'll work with the department to see if there's an online tool that they could use as far as public consultation goes. To actually go out and visit the communities at this late stage of the game and the amount of money that it may cost, may not bring much value at this point. However, as I said before, we would consider doing something when we're developing the 2017/2018...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to provide Members with more background on our fiscal situation. As Members heard on February 16, 2016, the federal Finance Minister announced a partial restoration of $24 million in annual Territorial Formula Financing funding lost through the unintended consequences of the data methodology revisions. While this is welcome news, the GNWT has already included a scenario in its fiscal forecast presented to Members that included the partial restoration of the Territorial Formula Financing. The problem, however, has not changed. The GNWT...

Speaking as the Minister responsible for Infrastructure, I can tell you that if the City decides to proceed with the bid, and subject to direction from the Financial Management Board, the NWT Housing Corporation is prepared to enter and negotiate a 70/30 split on the construction of an athletes' village that will meet the needs of the Canada Winter Games and the NWT Housing Corporation for public housing. Given the expected increase in the number of seniors, this would also be a project that would benefit the seniors in the Northwest Territories as well. There is a possibility that we can use...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following three documents entitled “Interim Estimates, 2016-2017”; “Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2015-2016”; and “Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2015-2016.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would have to have a discussion with Sport North. If you look at the names that came forward and the communities that they were from, I mean the Member's correct, there were a number of communities that weren't included in this. A lot of the folks chosen were from some of the regional centres. I can have that discussion with them and see if there are ways that we can include a lot of the smaller communities. They look at, as I said before, they want a regional-type balance, a gender balance, and they try to get as many people that have been involved in sports before. But I take the Member's...

Again, we have prepared a revenue options paper that will look at some of our potential revenue options. As far as the reductions, we're still going through that exercise right now. We will get some decision from Cabinet. I have committed to working with committee to keep them up-to-date as to what we do. Then we will see it go through the business planning process, which is in April and May, and whatever feedback we have back from committee and our back-and-forth, and that'll determine what we table as the main estimates in the May/June budget session.

Decisive action is ensuring that our expenditures don't run away from the revenue that we're able to generate, and we have tasked our officials with putting some of the options together. They will share them with Cabinet, and I will share them with committee. Depending on some of the direction that we take, they will come forward in the May/June budget cycle.

I will follow up with Sport North and have a discussion with them as to the criteria that they use for the selection of their mission staff, and again, they are paying attention to the conversation that we're having in here today, so I'm sure that they will take steps to ensure that there's a greater regional balance and small community balance in the future.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have an agreement with Sport North that manages our games. They put a call out for advertisements in the paper for mission staff for the games that are coming up. Apparently, this year they had 80 applications, and they chose them. My understanding is they wanted to get a bit of a regional balance and that too, so that's the process that they use for the selection of mission staff.