Don Stewart

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think this is an issue that has been looked at in the past. I know we have started another project with the Department of Health and Social Services to look at those costs again and see what the requirement would be, and then see whether within our fiscal environment we are operating, whether it makes sense to do that or not, but we have started to do that detailed work again, just to update those figures and have that for a fully informed discussion on that topic. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I don't have the main estimates document in front of me, but I believe those values that the Member quoted are correct. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The items included in this appropriation will make that supplementary reserve be over by about $4.8 million for the year. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The GNWT recently signed an early learning and childcare agreement with the federal government that provides funding over a number of years. I believe it is a 10-year agreement. There are a variety of activities to support early childhood operators under that contribution.

The first $2 million in the first year, there are some additional positions that are being added to help support the work with the various childcare operators, as well as some other activities that are included in there as well. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. My understanding is that it will be repaid over a 15-year period for the contributions we've made to them. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So as the Member would be aware, the estimates are that; they're estimates. As the year goes along, the supplementary reserves are accessed for situations like this. Departments also end up, at the end of the year, with some lapsed funding, and that all gets figured out at the end of the year. Then we'll be able to figure out our cash position and know whether that's going to add to our short-term debt or whether we'll have adequate resources for the year to cover all those expenditures; but if it is beyond the revenues that we had for the year, then that would go on...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. It certainly has to help. I understand the department continues to work with AVENS, though, to look at their broader financial situation. I understand the Member is correct, that they have been having some challenges on the financial side. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think the 10-year agreement that was signed, the framework lays out broad goals to improve early childhood programming in Canada. I think the three-year agreement is related to specific actions that were included in that three-year. I think it is safe to say that there will probably be further discussions on activities that may take place after the first three-year period. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. The reserve value, the Member is correct, it is $20 million for 2018-2019. The investments that we have made in the base on some of these items that the Minister noted for Health and Social Services and other areas, we believe that that reserve amount will work, and that we will be able to stay within that amount. Obviously, there are other factors like fires and those sorts of things that we can never be too certain of, and so we will have to keep our eye on that and manage our resources carefully over 2018-2019 to make sure that we are able to meet the financial figures...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, that is accurate. At the end of the year when we have both the operations and the capital spending, then we will know where our final cash position will end up and whether we need to add that onto the short-term debt. Thanks, Mr. Chair.