I have not contemplated that to this point, but certainly would be willing to look into it. Thank you.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is an ongoing issue with the shortfall in municipal funding that is provided through our funding formula to municipal governments of the Northwest Territories. The Minister has indicated that she is looking at fixing some of those. Can we get more details from the Minister on what our municipalities can expect moving forward on closing the gap in municipal funding? Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the analysis was done of the shortfall of community governments a number of years ago, every single year, Cabinet has provided extra money towards that. We are hopeful that that will continue.
We are working at the moment with the NWT Association of Communities to finalize the plan, and at this point, we are not yet finished. Right now, what I can say is that every year there has been an increase, and I am hopeful that that will continue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
That gap, when we started our term, was $32 million. How much has this government invested in closing that gap? I am looking for a dollar figure, Mr. Speaker.
For this last year, actually, the proposal within the budget is a proposed $1.2 million. I do not know the exact for every year. What I do know is that we have given increases for the operation and maintenance, and we have given increases for the water and sewer. We are working with the federal government for the capital and infrastructure monies that are needed, and we work closely with each community so that they can leverage their monies that they have to actually get the federal infrastructure dollars.
I will remind the Minister that this is the not the federal government's obligation. This is our own funding formula, and the money should be coming from this government, or that funding formula needs to change if this government cannot afford it. We need to figure this out, but if the Minister is right and we are spending $1.2 million, it is going to take 32 years to close this gap. If not a dollar amount, how much time has been dedicated to a plan? Do we have a five-year plan, a 10-year plan, a 20-year plan? How long is it going to take to close this gap?
I am well aware that this is not a federal government issue; this is a territorial issue. Like I said before, we are not finished the strategic plan. We are still working with the Association of Communities to deal with it. I would like to bring attention to, however, in my personal opinion, the territorial government is also underfunded, and that is a federal issue.
I empathize with all of the communities. I would love to have money that I could give to every community and every department. We all need money, but I think we are all well aware that the economy is not very good at this time, and we have to live within our means. We are trying to help community as best as possible, but we also do not have the means.
If the federal government would like to give us more money, then I would be more than willing to accept that funding so that we can not only help the communities but our territorial government departments that are in need also.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Making best use of limited financial resources, in the words of our august Finance Minister, I wonder if we can prioritize this as a mandate commitment. It is a requirement of our funding formula. MACA itself, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has done this analysis. When will this government meet its own requirements that it has established for itself to support our communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We are working diligently on trying to address it. I would like to remind everyone that we have, I believe, over 200 mandates that we are trying to address, and not very many of those mandates do not cost money. So if we are trying to address all of those hundreds of mandates, we need a lot more money than we actually have. So I am committed to try to help the communities. I think the communities understand that. We have provided increases with their operating and maintenance and their water and sewer every single year since that study was done; and as the economy turns, as we have the resources, we will support the communities. We care about our communities. They are our people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, "Correspondence to Mary Simon Regarding Arctic Leadership Model." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Infrastructure.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Energy Initiatives Report 2016-2017." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Inuvialuit Water Board Budget 2018-2019." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Summary Conviction Procedures Act, be read for the second time.
This bill amends the Summary Conviction Procedures Act to provide that the act does not apply to the contravention of a municipal parking bylaw for which an administrative monetary penalty has been established. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.
Question.
Masi. Question has been called. The motion is carried.
---Carried
I call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.
Marsi cho, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee would like to consider Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019, with the continuation of the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, followed by the Department of Lands and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. We will take a short break.
---SHORT RECESS
I call committee back to order. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that the chair of the Committee of the Whole leave the chair and report progress. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. A motion is on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and is non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Seeing none, the motion is carried.
---Carried
I will now rise and report progress. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Mahsi.
Masi. Do I have a seconder? Member for Deh Cho. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed?
---Carried
The motion is carried. Masi. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I speak unanimous consent to return to item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Unanimous consent granted
By the authority given to me as Speaker by Motion 7-18(3), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hour of adjournment to consider business before the House, with the Member for Sahtu in the Chair.
I call the committee to order. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee would like to consider Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019, and continue with the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, then moving on to the Department of Lands, and then to the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Committee, we have agreed to continue our consideration of Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019. As per your wishes, we will begin with consideration of the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs. Committee has agreed to forego general comments on each department and move straight into consideration of the activity details. I will turn to the Minister responsible for the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs. Premier McLeod, do you wish to bring witnesses to the House?
Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Premier. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Thank you, Premier. I will now ask committee to turn to the main estimates document, Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, beginning on page 107. Prior to that, can the Premier please introduce the witnesses for the record.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. To my right, I have Mike Aumond, the deputy minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs. To my left, I have Terence Courtoreille, the director of Shared Services. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Premier. On page 107, we will defer this activity summary and proceed on page 111. Cabinet support operations summary, $1,625,000. Can I ask Members to refer to which pages their questions refer? Any questions to this activity? Starting on 111 and 112. Questions? Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Could the Premier please confirm: is this the section where GSOs are in? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Premier McLeod.
