Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I think this question actually came up, or a version of it, during Committee of the Whole. And the Members were assured there is an asset management plan, and there is a very thorough process by which we are keeping track of all of the assets of the government and the capital needs and any, you know, needs for maintenance, etcetera, through all the departments, particularly the Department of Infrastructure.

Now with respect to where the question actually got to, which is whether or not we'll be publishing a 20year capital or the 20year capital needs...

Madam Speaker, as the Minister responsible for the public service I can say without question that the employees are the GNWT's most important resource. An engaged workforce that is committed to its work is critical to the delivery of quality programs and services to residents across the territory. This is why the Government of the Northwest Territories, like many other public and private sector employers in Canada, wants to ensure that public servants are engaged and satisfied at work.

This past year, the GNWT completed the first Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Survey since 2016. This...

Madam Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 69, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 20222023, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I wish to table the following three documents: Plain Language Summary for Bill 62, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, No. 2; Changing the Relationship Action Plan in Response to the Calls for Justice on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ Peoples; and, InterActivity Transfers over $250,000 April 1st to June 30th, 2022. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I type quickly but not quite fast enough to find this in time. I think there is there are a variety of these provisions that allow public servants to take access. I mean, there's certainly special leave. There are as I said, there's a number of different leave provisions and I want to make sure I give accurate information here rather than just speaking off the cuff. So, Madam Speaker, again, I'm happy to provide information to this House, to the Member, about what different leave provisions would be available for public servants. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, there's no planned cuts. I have no announcement to make here. There's not a moment of, you know, I get to say here's what's coming next. The plans that are in front of the public, the plans that I put forward, whether it's in budget dialogues, whether it's with this capital plan, there's no cuts to announce. I can't predict the future. I couldn't predict a $100 million flood any more than I could predict COVID. But what I can say, again, is we are trying to do what we can from within to manage our fiscal situation, to try to maintain the strong public...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I conducted the budget dialogues this past spring and summer. When I did so, I presented to any member of the public who was interested the state of our funding, funds, the state of our fiscal situation, including operating surpluses, operating and capital expenses. I've put those informations before the public and received feedback on how people would like to see us moving forward in this government, whether it's through trying to increase revenues, whether it's through trying to decrease expenses or, frankly, a little bit of both. So I do want to...

Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Bill 70, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operation Expenditures), No. 2, 20222023, be read for the third time. Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it's not my understanding that this extends to residential leases. Certainly if I am wrong about that, I will certainly correct myself going forward. And there was a second half to that question that has escaped me as I stood up. So I apologize, you might have to see if the Member wants to oh, damages. Damages, Madam Speaker; it's come back to me miraculously.

Madam Speaker, no, it wouldn't extend to damages. Again, it is really focused on property taxes and does generally extend to homeowners. So it is not well suited to dealing with arrears under...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have fairly brief comments today. I did want to, however, acknowledge that in this particular budget, as in all budgets, both the main operating budget as well as capital, in consensus government we have an opportunity to engage in discussions that are, I think, expected, and that makes it, hopefully, more cordial than what it might be if it were what is a traditional minority government in southern Canada, or other parts of Canada rather. And because we expect the process to occur, there's some formalities to it. That doesn't mean the process doesn't improve...