Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to ask, the supp is indicating $56,000 for increased utility costs, another $382,000 further down in highways and then again in marine and again in road licensing and safety. I look at the supplementary reserve amount that went to Transportation; it shows $800,000, which was for utility budget deficiencies. Do we have the $996,000 for utilities deficiencies plus the $800,000 from the supplementary reserve? Is that all going to utility deficiencies? Thank you.

No, that’s all. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I agree with the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will just ask for clarification from the Minister. When it says next year, does that mean implementation in 2010-11? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a quick question. I’d like to know whether or not this motion is going to inhibit the use of laptops by committee staff since we’ve taken out that second paragraph.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I, as a Member of the Rules committee, have debated this motion and the consideration of what motion to bring forward within the committee. I do support the motion. I have some reservations. I am willing to go forward with this at the moment especially because it is a trial and it’s going to be a trial period. I think we need to see whether or not it’s going to work.

I have my reservations because I am concerned that it will be a distraction for some Members to work on the computer instead of paying attention to the work before the Committee of the Whole, whatever that...

It is good to hear that. The Minister is probably aware, as are hopefully Members in here that I have an area in my riding that is under almost a state of emergency in terms of replacing their water and sewer infrastructure. I would like to ask the Minister whether or not he would be willing to look to the federal government for some of the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund dollars to have them flow through from GNWT to the City of Yellowknife to assist the Northlands Condo to replace their water and sewer infrastructure. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Finance. In the recent federal budget millions of dollars were highlighted that are available to Canadians for infrastructure and many other projects. Some of that money has been identified as an Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. Possibly $5 million could accrue to us. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance if he knows what that money can be used for and when it might be available.

Mr. Speaker, today I’d like to speak to the debate held yesterday in regard to the board reform motion. Firstly, I want to thank all of those who came to the Assembly yesterday: the trustees, the employees, the parents and the grandparents, the students, the preschoolers and the babies. They all took the time to show us in person where they stand and how they feel about the proposed Board Reform Initiative.

One of my colleagues called yesterday’s debate and the resulting vote democracy in action, and I agree. It was the most fundamental display of democracy that we can have. The debate was...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am not sure where this question should be asked so I will ask it here and hopefully it is alright. We discussed during a review of business plans that the infrastructure, the way our infrastructure is determined within the government was being looked at, was being evaluated. Public Works and Services and the Housing Corporation were looking at possibly setting up an infrastructure department. I just wondered if there had been any progress on that initiative or the revamping of that structure since November when we talked about it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess I would like some clarification on the motion. If Mr. Ramsay’s understanding is that this is referencing laptops, that is not my understanding. It is talking only about the use of BlackBerries in standing and special committees. Laptops would only be…Oh, it does say laptops. I beg your pardon. I was thinking it was only for staff.

I do have a problem with laptops in committees, because I think committee work requires our minds even more, perhaps, than the House. There is not as much…I don’t think we have as much room for laptops and so on. At this point, I am...