Caroline Wawzonek

Mr. Speaker, the total budget for this program is $292,000. The current expenditures forecasted for 2019 and 2020 are $240,000, so that is where it stands at present.

Thank you, Madam Chair. There are two different challenges. The short-term borrowing is in the Department of Finance, and that is so that the Department of Finance can manage the total finances of the Government of the Northwest Territories and be able to look at the totality of what is being demanded and needed in order to run all of the essential government programs and services, including the health authority, including their payroll, and that is the short-term borrowing aspect of it.

The health of the health department's finances is a long-term challenge, but that is not one that is being...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Not entirely. I think it may depend on each municipality. In this particular instance, MACA and the municipalities do work together to have an assessor who comes in and does the assessments, so it is not accurate. I apologize if I said that it is not accurate to say it is done exactly the same as a private property would be made. The grants-in-lieu is part of a Government of Northwest Territories policy, and so MACA follows the policy in order to ensure that the grants-in-lieu are paid properly to the municipal governments, as is required by that policy.

I think there is a simple answer, and it is "Yes." While I don't know exactly how quickly I can get that to the Member, I am prepared to make that commitment to do so as quickly as possible so that there is a better way to have all the northern businesses paid as quickly as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am told that the increase in the total debt to the Health and Social Services authority should be approximately $9 million, so, certainly, the increase in the short-term borrowing limit that the Department of Finance is seeking will still be there to support the health system and the health authority and their payroll.

The purpose of increasing the short-term borrowing limit is meant to be a short-term technique used in order to support all of the shorter-term and day-over-day cash requirements, including payrolls for all departments. Certainly, it is notable that it...

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Sorry, Madam Chair. I apologize for the delay. Madam Chair, there are steps underway. Certainly, the reaction that the Member is having perhaps to this is not dissimilar to the reaction that has already been had to the situation that we are in, so there is some shared frustration, I am sure, by all Members. The Department of Finance certainly intends to work more closely with the assets that are coming online in the future to ensure that they are being adequately budgeted for at the front end, that they are adequately planned for, and so that dates are known, as far as...

I understand the department has reviewed that report, and I have also personally reviewed that report. With respect to the response that may or may not be coming, I believe there will be a more fulsome response in due course, Mr. Speaker, and, over the course of time, when that does happen, I will certainly engage the Member with that information once I have it.

The reason I was delaying is we are making constant efforts, and certainly Mr. Kalgutkar, I know, since bringing this matter forward has been making consistent efforts to increase the pressure to get our invoices paid and have revenues come in. The numbers are changing over time, but what we can do is certainly provide a more itemized breakdown for the Members so that they have a much clearer picture. I realize that these appear to be more like estimates, but we can provide more specific numbers at a particular point in time so that there is a better sense of where things are at, at one given...

Yes, Madam Chair, thank you. I am just conferring and agreeing with Mr. Kalgutkar that, from the perspective sitting here, from Finance, is that quite certainly, yes, the matter should have been a supplementary appropriation in a fall session. Obviously, there wasn't a fall session, and, unfortunately, that puts us here at this session. It is not arriving in the timeliest of fashions, at least from the perspective of the present witnesses here and myself. It is here as quickly as I believe we were able to bring it here.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, I share the Member's frustration of just seeing large numbers. Wanting the government to be fiscally responsible is a message that I am hearing loud and clear, and wanting to be fiscally responsible in a way that is responsive to the needs of the government long-term. Again, I'm hearing that loud and clear.

There is no intention to directly convert. The balance between short-term debt, long-term debt, and a budget is precisely the task that we are faced with in order to create the budget for 2020-2021. This particular supplementary appropriation bill is...