Julie Green

Thank you. What I heard in that answer was a process to quantify the problem, but I didn't hear a solution to the problem. If the health authorities are limited and challenged, as you say, to pay this money back, then is this really short-term borrowing or is this really long-term borrowing? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I don't believe the Corporation is up to the task of providing housing and programming to alleviate the obvious need. What we do know is that the Housing Corporation has steadfastly refused to add any new units to its inventory because doing so would increase overhead costs. This is an unacceptable position. I am asking for an investment in more units immediately. We cannot expect residents to thrive, go to school, and go to work when one of their most basic needs remains unmet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to the Finance Minister for that information. Can the Minister confirm that the bulk of this short-term borrowing is to assist with the Health and Social Services authority's payroll, which she talked about at the beginning of her answers, and can she say whether, in fact, the authority is in a position to repay this money to the Department of Finance by the end of the fiscal year? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you to the Minister for that response. Can the Minister commit to itemizing each of these points in a dollar amount and providing that to this committee? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have detail questions. Is this the right time to ask those?

Thank you to the Premier for that. My next question was partly anticipated by her last answer. In addition to talking to Ministers about their tasks, what kind of direction will the Premier provide about working with Regular MLAs and, in particular, strengthening the consensus part of consensus government?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the honourable Premier. As I mentioned in my statement, Ministers in the last two Assemblies received mandate letters from the Premier. In fact, the Premier herself would have received her own for her different portfolios. My first question is: how did having a mandate letter help or hinder her? Thank you.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. Mandate letters for Ministers are a recent innovation in the Northwest Territories. They have been used in the last two Assemblies to detail the actions required to implement the priorities agreed by all 19 Members. It is my hope that the new Premier will continue this practice for her Cabinet and that we will see mandate letters for them soon.

In the meantime, I have written a mandate letter for myself. First, I am grateful to the people who live in Yellowknife Centre for re-electing me to continue my advocacy work. I am here for all of you, determined to make a difference...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Premier for that answer. My final two questions are whether there will be any input from Regular Members into the mandate letters and when the mandate letters are expected to be complete. Thank you.

My followup question is: does the Premier, then, consider the letters to be valuable enough that she will provide mandate letters to her Ministers, and, if so, when can this Assembly expect to see them?