Evidence of meeting #55 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was limit.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Okay. Is there agreement to put the question, then?
Do you want the motion read again?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Okay.
All those in favour of the motion? I see five. All opposed? I'm counting six.
(Motion negatived)
To the issue, members did raise the question of whether the letter could be read into the record. Is it the wish of the committee to do that at this point?
Conservative
Conservative
LaVar Payne Conservative Medicine Hat, AB
At this point, I don't think there's any point in reading it in. It looks like the coalition has already decided that this is going to go ahead anyway—
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Okay. There is no agreement in terms of doing that, so we'll proceed in the normal fashion to receive the letter, have it translated, and circulate it to members.
Now, to go back to the order, on resuming consideration of the bill, Monsieur Lévesque had finished.
Mr. Rickford, you've finished up.
Now we're going back to Mr. Bevington. Well, I guess it's Ms. Crowder, in fact, as Mr. Bevington is our witness.
Let's go to Ms. Crowder.
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Mr. Chair, I'm wondering, given the time and what we originally had as the orders for the day, why we are not proceeding to clause-by-clause at this point.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
We can, certainly, but essentially, Madam Crowder, we had a list of speakers. My plan was that once we exhausted that list, we would proceed to clause-by-clause.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
I'll proceed with those questions.
Ms. Melhorn, I wanted to ask you a couple of things about this whole notion of the territorial government having these limits imposed. It sounds like it has been a request for I assume a number of years now that these limits be removed.
Deputy Minister of Finance, Department of Finance, Government of the Northwest Territories
We made our proposal to Finance Canada in 2006.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
So given your financial track record—it seems like you have some excellent policies in place and you certainly are well rated under Moody's—has the Government of Canada ever given you a reason for denying the removal of those limits?
Deputy Minister of Finance, Department of Finance, Government of the Northwest Territories
I can't recall. When the limit was increased, there was some commentary on the government's ability, based on our economic position, to be able to handle the increased debt, but I can't recall a response with respect to removal.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Help me out here. You have a good financial track record. You have a good bond rating from Moody's. You're probably in better shape than some other governments in this country. You have, certainly, resources; we know that with the oil and gas and the minerals and the potential development of the pipeline you're probably in better shape in terms of potential revenues than other provinces.
I'm struggling to see why a limit would still be imposed on a government that's responsible.
Deputy Minister of Finance, Department of Finance, Government of the Northwest Territories
I can't speak to that; I'm sorry.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
So there is no...or you have not heard a good reason to continue with that limit.
Deputy Minister of Finance, Department of Finance, Government of the Northwest Territories
As I said, I'm not sure I've heard a reason--