Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am pleased to present the 2016-2017 Main Estimates for the Department of Lands. Overall, the department’s estimates propose a net decrease of $1,015,000, a decrease of three per cent from the 2015-16 main estimates, and a decrease of four positions. These estimates directly support the objectives of limiting expenditure growth in order to achieve the long-term sustainability of the fiscal framework. The estimates include $133,000 for one additional remote sensing analyst for the Western Arctic Centre for Geomatics in Inuvik. Funding for a new Western Arctic...

Thank you. Ms. Hilderman.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. The quick answer is we're looking at modernizing our policy so there will be an opportunity to have that discussion at the time. Mr. Chair, before I say thank you, Mr. Chair, I just want to recognize, up in the gallery, Mr. Willard Hagen, who will be the deputy minister of Lands. He's taking in our proceedings, and he will be sitting at the witness table with me next year, this Assembly willing.

Mr. Speaker, there has been some preliminary work done as to what it may cost employees and employers across the country. We will do some work on our part, and seeing that this is an important issue, once we get that work done, I would be more than happy to offer a briefing to committee. I have to say this is an issue that is across the country -- my e-mails were actually jammed with about 5,000 e-mails from across the country. Must be doing a mass e-mailing project. Most of the e-mails you could tell weren't from the Northwest Territories. But we will do our work. I will share any information...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, as I said, they weren't fully subscribed to, which is correct. I actually have the number here. I thought I would try, "They weren't fully subscribed to" first. The actual number is $546,000. They still weren't fully subscribed to. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. My apologies. This would be the right area, if the Member wishes to ask his questions here.

Mr. Speaker, we do have a voice at the table. Unfortunately, they came to us after we had a bit of a break, and a lot of the decisions were already made. We brought that to their attention and the Chair recognized, and he apologized, that was his fault, that he should have included the three territories in the pre-discussion leading up to the break where a lot of conversations took place. They recognize that. We made our point. They gave us an opportunity to speak afterwards, but by then a lot of the decision had already been made. We brought it to their attention, and we intend in the future...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this would probably have been a result of our overall reduction exercise. If we find in the future we need to allocate these type of dollars again, then we can make some adjustments in the future, but it is part of our overall reduction exercise. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the RMO1s were wellreceived, and we have them all filled. They're all filled with local people. I think three of the five or four of the five are female. We've had very good interest in that, actually. If there are, as part of the HR plan, you know, if there's further opportunities to offer training positions in the regions, then that's something that we'll take into consideration. We want to be able to build up the capacity in the region because who knows the region better than the folks that live there, right. We would like to try to build the capacity there...

We are always looking at ways that we can increase our funding, especially for the youth. I mean, I can tell this House that we've had five events, I think, in the last year or so and we spent close to $650,000 at these events, and some of this is O and M funding for staff time and such. So it is a program that, you know, we will look at ways to enhance once the evaluation has been completed, and we will work with committee members to see how we can incorporate into our business plans and main estimates going forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.