Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 25/00) - Finance Minister Joe Handley said Wednesday the territorial government will likely run a deficit budget next fiscal year.

"I expect in 2000-2001 we will likely look at another deficit," said Handley. "I don't think it's going to be possible in this short term to see a balanced budget in the next fiscal year ... right now, I don't see how that would be possible."

Questioned by Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Floyd Roland, Handley said the government would do all it could to avoid hitting the $300 million "debt wall" imposed by the federal government. The debt currently stands at about $234 million.

Handley said a government-wide review of operations is being conducted by a working group of deputy ministers to find ways to save money.

"The departments are working on it," said Handley. "They're looking at everything, from capital plans, to procurement practices, to the way we do business to find out if there's any money we can save in our current operations."

The review includes looking at reducing the size of government, Handley later added.

Opposition leaders

The new look opposition is official.

The assembly on Tuesday officially established four new standing committees -- accountability and oversight, governance and economic development, social programs and rules and procedures.

Standing committees are used by regular MLAs to review proposed government legislation and organize strategy when the assembly is sitting.

Membership on the committees is as follows:

Accountability and Oversight
Chair: Charles Dent, deputy chair: Floyd Roland. All non-cabinet MLAs are members

Governance and Economic Development
Chair: Floyd Roland, deputy chair: Sandy Lee, members: Bill Braden, Paul Delorey, David Krutko, Steven Nitah

Social Programs
Chair: Mike Miltenberger, deputy chair: Michael McLeod, members: Brendan Bell, Charles Dent, Leon Lafferty, Michael McLeod, Michael Miltenberger

Rules and Procedures
Chair: Brendan Bell, deputy chair: David Krutko, members: Paul Delorey, Charles Dent, Joe Handley

Road to salvation or ruin

Range Lake MLA Sandy Lee renewed the call for speeding up reconstruction of Highway 3 between Yellowknife and Rae.

Lee said last weekend's truck accident, in which a tractor trailer slid off the road, spilling some of its load, highlighted the need to upgrade the road.

"We need to have this road reconstructed now, not five years from now, and certainly not 10 years from now," Lee told the assembly.

"We need to have this road contributing to our health, environment and economy, not endangering them."

On Wednesday Lee questioned Transportation Minister Vince Steen about the cause of the accident and the conditions of the road at the time.

Steen said he did not have the specifics of the incident and promised to respond to Lee in writing.