Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Stewart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. There are three positions related to this activity. Two of them are related to the implementation of cannabis sales and distribution, so they will be involved in the review of any vendor applications that we get to open additional locations; they will also be involved in the overall corporate cannabis-related activities; and then, thirdly, to support the future policy changes. The federal government has indicated that there will be some decisions made around things like edibles, for example, within the year, and that will require some additional policy work.
The second area, the second major area, which is the third position, is around capacity to address workplace-related issues associated with cannabis. So, the WSCC has amended the Safety Act around defining and prohibiting impairment at work, and they require, then, a policy development and guidelines around "fit to work" that we're in the process of developing now. That position will take on the responsibility of advice and support around that new policy and other labour relations issues associated with cannabis, as well as developing some training materials for managers, to help with the implementation of the fit to work policy. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, of the $494,000 that's not previously authorized, how much of this is federal money and how much of it is going to be coming out of the liquor revolving fund? Or where does it come from? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Stewart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is through an appropriation as opposed to through a revolving fund, and this is one component where there aren't federal dollars to offset this. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So maybe I'll start with: can the Minister or staff tell us what the federal amount is out of the $494,000? Or is that what it's going to cost our government? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister?
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, that's what it's going to cost our government. Thank you.
Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So how is it decided whether an appropriation is used for this or whether it should come out of the liquor and cannabis revolving fund? Are there criteria for those? And can the Minister share those with us? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Stewart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, the amounts around implementation that are being charged against the revolving fund are specific to activities around sales and distribution. So, for example, the e-commerce platform that was developed to sell cannabis online will be dealt with through the revolving fund. These ones are broader-type support for issues that are really future policy work in some cases, like the edibles as they come on, as well the overall coordination of activities, as the Member is probably aware. There are other departments that are also engaged in activities related to cannabis in terms of education and community engagement in those sorts of things. So what's going to the revolving fund are the specifics related to the sales and distribution. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.
Okay. I'm just trying to figure out how all of this is supposed to work and whether the revenues that are generated from the sales are actually going to cover all of our costs or not. Does the department have any kind of sense of that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Stewart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, obviously, we're fairly early into days of the legalization. We've done some estimates around the expected volumes for cannabis sales, and, based on the pricing model that was used, we certainly think that it will add to the overall amount that comes back from the revolving fund into general revenues and would be able to cover off these types of expenditures. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly? Nothing further from Mr. O'Reilly. Nothing further from committee. I will call this item. Finance, operations expenditures, directorate, not previously authorized, $147,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Finance, operations expenditures, human resources, not previously authorized, $200,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Finance, operations expenditures, management board secretariat, not previously authorized, $147,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Finance, operations expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $494,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Please turn to page 6. Health and Social Services. Comments or questions on this $2.5 million ask? Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, under Community Health Programs, I see that there's an expenditure to provide funding for an extension of a grant in-kind related to the renewal of the lease with the Young Women's Christian Association for the Rock Hill Apartments. Can the Minister give us an update on the status of that grant in-kind, given the fact that the building has burned down? Thank you.
Thank you for that question. Ms. Green, could you please hold on to that? We need to take about a five-minute recess.
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I will call Committee of the Whole back to order. Sorry about that committee. A bit of a document mix-up. Ms. Green, would you please ask your question again?
That's a trick question because the page now looks different.
Is there anything further to page 6, Health and Social Services? Mr. Testart.
This is a point of order, Mr. Chair. Could you call the page again with the correct total appropriation?
Thank you, Mr. Testart. The page hasn't been called yet, but we are discussing page 6, Health and Social Services, total appropriation of $1.977 million. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Government of the Northwest Territories has supported the YWCA with a grant in kind by making the Rockhill Apartment available through the Transitional Housing Program, and it is my understanding that this grant in kind has been deleted because the building burned down. Could the Minister confirm that is the case?
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is correct.
Thank you. Ms. Green.
Thank you for that confirmation. I don't really have any further questions on this point. I have a comment that there will need to be, I think, some help for the YWCA to continue the Transitional Housing Program, but I realize that it is not covered in this supp. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Anything further from committee? Seeing none, I will call this page. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2018-2019, Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, ambulatory care services, $457,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Sorry, committee. A bit of a wording error. I have to call that again. Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, ambulatory care services, not previously authorized, $457,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, community health programs, not previously authorized, $1,520,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $1,977,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Please turn to page 7, Industry, Tourism and Investment. Comments or questions? Seeing none, I will call this page. Industry, Tourism and Investment, operations expenditures, tourism and parks, not previously authorized, $116,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Industry, Tourism and Investment, operations expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $116,000. Does committee agree?
