Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Those six positions were our equity lease positions that were sunsetted. Those positions were removed from our budget. However, just so the Members are aware, none of the people that had those positions lost any jobs. We were able to find positions within our organization to keep them at work. It was in equity leases, and it was just, like I said, sunsetted. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We have a three-party approach to it: the federal government, the Tlicho, and the GNWT. What you're seeing here and our budget here today is our money to complete that commitment. It's our commitment that we agreed to be part of. As for the amount of money in there, with your permission, I will ask the deputy minister to provide that information. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. For that detail, I'm going to have to go to the deputy minister. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When we're looking at this bulk land transfer, we are trying to do it well-played out and well-plotted. We don't want to just say, "Here you go," and it's done. We want to make sure that we do it successfully. We want to make sure we help the municipality, which is the City of Yellowknife, be prepared to do things. We are willing to start out with small parcels of land and move towards getting the large bulk land transfer, but again, it comes down to when the City of Yellowknife, when we go through it and negotiate, when they are ready to take over the bulk land transfer...

We're transferring land to the federal government? Sorry, I apologize. I'm asking the Member questions. Is that what he's asked?

Thank you. For that detail, I'll ask Assistant Deputy Minister Chapman to respond. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will start, and with your permission, I will turn to the deputy minister. With the City of Yellowknife, we have been in meetings. I think our next meeting is March 2nd, I believe, that we're meeting with them to talk about it. There is a process that we feel we're close to. We've provided it in writing. We've asked for their feedback. We've also reached out to the NWTAC to give it to them because we're not just looking at Yellowknife. We're looking at across the Northwest Territories. We're trying to develop the process, and if I've missed anything, with your permission, I'll ask...

Page 320? You know what? It's probably even better if I just go to the deputy minister to get clarity. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It is being sunsetted, so it is done. The funding of the program has been sunsetted. As for the number of leases or equity leases out there, I think the deputy minister talked about a number of them already going through the process, but all of them, no. They are not all done, but we are able to provide services from our existing staff to fulfil that mandate to complete that task. The task has not completely been completed, but we are working to get that done. For further clarity, if I missed anything, with your permission, I will ask the assistant deputy minister. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I don't deal in hypothetical situations, Mr. Chair. If it was deleted from the budget, then we would have to see what we do. I know how much committee does not like the fact that we're coming back for supplementary appropriations, so it would be a difficult opportunity if we had to go through the supplementary process. Again, I can't deal with hypothetical situations. Thank you, Mr. Chair.