Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I can certainly say the budgeted amount, first under the Deh Cho Bridge, was $9,021,000. The bond we have it's projected predicted to be $2 million. And shortterm debt is $6.141 million. So that's the budget. And, of course, we're now asking for $18 million more so you can do probably some fairly simple math on that one. The biggest single impact here is coming from shortterm debt where we're now projecting that that's going to hit a $20 million interest rate or a level of interest required. So, again, that's the one where there's been some significant number of...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So looking at actuals over the last several years, if you go back to sort of 20162017, they were just under or just around $19.5 million, and it varies over time year by year 21.5, 24, 26. Hitting up in the last couple of years after COVID, it significantly increased, 20222023, there were $35.2 million. 20232024, we're now projecting to get up to $42.3 million as an estimate at this point but obviously we're getting fairly close to the end of the fiscal year. In terms of, you know, if well, actually I'll stop there and let the Member ask her own questions. Thank you.

I just quickly counted, Mr. Chair. I've got two in Smith, one in Simpson, one in McPherson, one in Fort Good Hope, one in Dettah/N'dilo, one in Aklavik, and I think I missed one in Whati. And I came to nine. Okay. Thank you.

$6,061,850, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this is a longer one. And I certainly don't want to hold up any of the other commitments that we're making that I think can benefit Members, particularly at this stage of the Assembly as we're learning about departments and supplementary appropriations. I don't want to hold those commitments up. The commitment to better understand the drive on agency nurses, the usage of agency nurses, for example what departments are using more, what regions might be using more, what times of year they might be getting used, those are questions that I do want to be seeking...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I happen to have it on authority that the Minister of Infrastructure is trying to arrange a briefing on MTS for committee and probably well deserved. It's certainly yes, the low water was certainly an impact, but that certainly isn't the only challenge that MTS has seen. They have struggled to find their footing since the end of NTCF for NTCL, so it is certainly not one that I want to minimize the ease by which there can be a path forward to sort of a more fiscally sustainable way. There's the forest fires also had an impact because, of course, the head office and main...

Mr. Speaker, I thought I was done for the day.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 5, Supplementary Appropriation Act, Infrastructure Expenditures, No. 3, 20232024, be read for the third time. Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, back again beside me on my left is deputy minister Bill MacKay, and on my right deputy secretary to the financial management board Mr. Terence Courtoreille.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, there's again, this portion is really an obligation under the collective agreement. Other companies and businesses, corporations, you know, the mineral resource sector, a lot of those companies, a whole host of companies in town, other levels of government, in general also provide benefits to their employees. The degree to which they're getting benefits, the type of benefits, I'm not privy to. Whether those individuals might have partial payment through public medical travel and then offset by others, again there's going to be some complex differences. But...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So it is it is as a result of an increased overall number of days in the facilities. And so in that sense, the amount of use that is being seen that's driving up an anticipated extra expense here. Thank you.