Robert C. McLeod

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the Member’s desire to hear from the Minister directly himself. We have a five-year action plan that we’re working on right now. As we go forward and we find that some of the work that we have to do in future years or within the next budget cycle, I mean, there’s an opportunity to expand on that work, then I suppose we would have to go back and look at bringing the necessary expertise on board. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I can commit to that. My understanding is that we do that already, but I will commit to that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the Government of Northwest Territories, we have a vested interest in working with the Inuvialuit Water Board and the water boards of the Mackenzie Valley. As water partners, we work closely with the Inuvialuit Water Board and other regional and land water boards in the implementation of a five-year action plan for the NWT Water Stewardship Strategy, so we do have a vested interest in working with the water boards with all the Aboriginal governments across the Northwest Territories, and we will continue to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the answer is no the money is not there to leverage other money, it's there for environmental liabilities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, with me today to my immediate right I have Dr. Erin Kelly, the assistant deputy minister of Environment and Natural Resources. To my left I have Susan Craig, who is the director of Corporate Services. To my far right, first day on the job, started at 5 a.m. this morning, is Dr. Joe Dragon, who will be our new deputy minister of Environment and Natural Resources, so we'll be having him answer all the questions today.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We work with the communities on their plans and we have the expertise within our forest management division to help them identify combustible areas so we work with them on a plan and then the community will take the responsibility of trying to do some mitigation. In the event of a fire that's threatening the community, I think you've seen, it's been demonstrated in the past, that ENR does do what it can to try and help save the communities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I can't seem to find the exact amount, but I will get the exact amount for the Member. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, I do. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the 20172018 Main Estimates for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $1.2 million over the 20162017 Main Estimates, which is a 1.3 per cent increase.

These estimates continue to support the GNWT's objective of ensuring a strong and sustainable future for the government and its programs while managing expenditures.

The 20172018 Main Estimates include an amortization increase of $2.3 million from the 201718 business plan reviewed by standing committee in September...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my apologies to the Member. He was asking about the capacity of the ENR and I kind of said we would go through and look at Finance because they were the lead, and I knew that wasn't the end of it, so I was actually being prepared for him to come back with the same question. I will defer to Ms. Kelly. She will talk about the number of people we have in there and the working group that ENR is a part of, but I can assure the Member that Finance is not off doing this on their own. We are, as we should be, seeking advice from the expert, but I will have Dr. Kelly...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I will speak to the Minister of Finance because Finance is the lead on the carbon, and I will ask him to put some information together for the Member. I will also ask him to try to have that information ready before Finance comes up. Thank you, Mr. Chair.