Agreed.
Thanks, committee. We would turn to page 1-7, department summary, Legislative Assembly, operations expenditures summary, $18.508 million.
Agreed.
Is committee agreed we have concluded the department for the Legislative Assembly?
Thank you, committee. Thank you, witnesses. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sergeant-at-Arms, would you please escort the witnesses from the Chamber?
Thank you, committee, we will come back to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Over the last few months Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly have been working hard on a compressed 2012-13 planning schedule.
This included the review of departmental 2012-13 business plans in April and consideration of the 2012-13 Main Estimates in Committee of the Whole during the Third Session.
As part of their review, Members of this House have recommended amendments to the 2012-13 budget.
The Financial Management Board has considered these recommendations. Based on our discussions, we are prepared to make the following adjustments:
With respect to the Department of Finance:
$250,000 will be transferred from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to the Heritage Fund. Although this transfer is being made in advance of a final Devolution Agreement, this small contribution will confirm to NWT residents that investing in our future is a priority of the 17th Assembly.
With respect to the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs:
Funding in the amount of $200,000 associated with delivery of the Ground Ambulance Program scheduled to sunset on March 31, 2012, will be reinstated.
With respect to the Department of Health and Social Services:
$900,000 to enhance prevention and promotion programs in 2012-13.
$367,000 to continue to support initiatives that support the design and implementation of phase 3 programming and evaluation of past activities of the Family Violence Action Plan.
With respect to the Department of Justice:
$47,000 for the establishment of an additional legal aid family lawyer to help reduce the wait times for family law clients. Better than Christmas.
$215,000 for the implementation of an alcohol and drug treatment program at the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre.
$49,000 to continue to support initiatives that support the design and implementation of phase 3 programming and evaluation of past activities of the Family Violence Action Plan.
With respect to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources:
$1.7 million to increase funding for alternative energy initiatives. The allocation of this funding will be reviewed by the Ministerial Energy Coordinating and Climate Change Committee of Cabinet over the next few months. The committee will meet with the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure in September 2012 to review the allocation of these funds.
Also, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment will be announcing an additional $1.250 million to enhance early childhood development programming in 2012-13. The department will re-profile its existing budget to fund this important investment in our children.
Also, with respect to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, the proposed staffing of an NWT permafrost scientist will be delayed until the second half of the fiscal year. The department will lapse the budgeted funds not expended as a result of this delay.
The Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation will delay full implementation of the seniors rent component of the new public housing rent scale until September 1, 2012.
I will follow through with these commitments in the Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2012-2013, which will be tabled in the House within the next few days.
Finally, Madam Chair, I think this is an example of consensus government working. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I’d just like to say, from this side of the House, I concur that we did work hard to impact our budget for the benefit of our constituents in the whole of the Territories, and I look forward to implementing the budget as we go forward with that, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. It’s being distributed now.
Motion is non-debatable.
---Carried
Members, we are going to page 10-17 of the main estimates. Activity summary, Education, Culture and Employment, education and culture, operations expenditure summary, $192.575 million. Are we agreed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will turn to page 10-7, department summary, Education, Culture and Employment, operations expenditure summary, $289.107 million.
Agreed.
Is committee agreed we are concluded the Department of Education, Culture and Employment?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Mr. Menicoche, what is the wish of committee?
Madam Chair, I move that this committee resume consideration of the activity petroleum resources under the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment Main Estimates 2012-2013 on page 12-17. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
The motion is carried.
---Carried
Thank you, committee. Now we can go to page 12-17. Activity summary, Industry, Tourism and Investment, minerals and petroleum resources, operations expenditure summary, $6.802 million. Are we agreed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We can turn now to page 12-7. Department summary, Industry, Tourism and Investment, operations expenditure summary, $49.560 million. Are we agreed?
Agreed.
Thank you. Are we agreed we have concluded the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Mr. Menicoche.
Madam Chair, I move that this committee resume consideration of the activity environment under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Main Estimates 2012-2013 on page 13-17. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
The motion is carried.
---Carried
We will move to page 13-17. Okay, committee, we are on page 13-17, activity summary, Environment and Natural Resources, environment, operations expenditure summary, $5.936 million. Are we agreed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We’ll turn to page 13-18, activity summary, environment, grants and contributions, contributions, total contributions, $2.549 million. Are we agreed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will return to the department summary on page 13-7. Department summary, Environment and Natural Resources, operations expenditure summary, $65.693 million. Are we agreed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Are we agreed that we have concluded the Department of Environment and Natural Resources?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 3-17(3), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2012-2013, be now concluded and that the Tabled Document 3-17(3) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session in the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question. The motion is carried.
---Carried
Thank you, committee. Mr. Menicoche, what is the wish of committee?
Madam Chair, I move that we report progress.
---Carried
Could I have the report of Committee of the Whole, please? Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 3-17(3), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2012-2013, and would like to report progress with four motions being adopted and that consideration of Tabled Document 3-17(3) is concluded and that the House concur with those estimates and that an appropriation bill to be based thereon be introduced without delay. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Is there a seconder to the motion? Mr. Miltenberger.
---Carried
