Caitlin Cleveland

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am also wondering if the Minister of Finance can go into detail about what, if any, reduction efforts the Department of Finance is planning to undertake, specifically in relation to positions within the GNWT and GNWT salaries. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am thankful to the Member for Yellowknife Centre for starting off my question. We have seen continuous growth over the last few Assemblies of the short-term borrowing. I am just wondering if the Department of Finance intends to maintain the $525-million short-term borrowing limit for the 2020-2021 fiscal year or if they would eventually like to reset that to the $390-million limit that we had before. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right is Tim Mercer, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and to my left is Christina Brownlee, Legislative Assembly Counsel for the Department of Justice. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act lays out the indemnities and allowances available to Members of the Legislative Assembly. Schedule C of the act sets out the actually monetary value of these indemnities and allowances.

During the 18th Legislative Assembly, the Independent Commission to Review Members' Compensation and Benefits and the Special Committee to Increase Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly put forward recommendations. As a result of these recommendations, amendments to the act and the regulations are required through Bill 1.

Th...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, be read for the second time.

This bill amends the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to extend certain benefits to Members and have the ability to regulate childcare expenses.

I understand that the financial administration policy on the timing of payments to vendors provides for certain exceptions that allow for immediate payment upon receipt of invoices from language translators or interpreters, justices of the peace, coroners, and sheriff's bailiff services. Would the Minister be willing to consider expanding these exemptions for small northern businesses?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance for the rationale for the delay of three to four weeks in making payments to GNWT vendors, as set out in the Financial Administration Manual. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As an Assembly, we committed to supporting economic development in northern businesses. Many of my Kam Lake constituents report the challenges associated not only with starting a business, but also keeping it profitable. I believe that the GNWT can and must do more to support northern businesses.

According to 2019 NWT Statistics Bureau data, over 70 percent of the 3,600 NWT businesses employee four or fewer employees. Our economy and communities depend on these small northern businesses. Not only do they provide meaningful employment, they also support events, youth...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am also wondering, given the financial situation that we have found ourselves in, if the Department of Finance intends to freeze any kind of pay for performance or bonuses associated with excluded employees during this time. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am curious if the Minister of Finance can speak to what actions the Department has taken to avoid going through this exercise again a year from now.