Committee, we will now consider the Department of Finance on page 6. Supplementary Estimates, (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022, Department of Finance, Office of the Comptroller General, not previously authorized, $175,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you.
Supplementary Estimates, (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022, Department of Finance, total department, not previously authorized, $175,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Committee, we will now consider the Department of Health and Social Services on page 7. Supplementary Estimates, (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2021-2022, Department of Health and Social Services, health and social programs, not previously authorized, $2,064,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Supplementary estimate, (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2021-2022, Department of Health and Social Services, longterm care and continuing care, not previously authorized, $8,588,000. Does committee agree? Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm happy to seeing the half million dollars of completely federal money to support long-term care. I remember when this was announced, there was some this was kind of going on across the country. There were outbreaks in long-term care and so a number of deals were signed. Can I just get a bit of a explanation of what this money has been spent on to mitigate risk in longterm care settings during the pandemic? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm not sure if the Minister of Health wants to address this in further detail, but I certainly can give a bit of an overview.
There's been increased infection prevention and control measures in long-term settings. And what that means, Madam Chair, is support for some additional positions in the form of licensed practical nurse and a residential care aide. Also increases in the availability and the replacement where needed for medical equipment in longterm care settings. And also work being done on a national scale to ensure there's some standardization of infection prevention and control policies.
So, again, if there's more detail that needed, Madam Chair, then on the next round, I could perhaps turn it to the Minister of Health, but we'll see if that's adequate for now. Thanks.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.
Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I mean, perhaps I would like a little more information from the Minister of Health. I get there was also this onetime funding to minimize risk in long-term care, but I'm also curious to the extent this money was spent on making sure that risk is minimized going forward. I know we're not really in the same position as southern jurisdictions with very large private centres, but I'm just kind of curious what the plans are for this $8.5 million. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, again, Madam Chair, I mean, there's a level of detail that I'm not necessarily going to have operationally. And it may be that we just want to commit to that. But let me see if the Minister of Health is in a position to fill in a bit more of that, please.
Thank you, Minister. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. I don't have any more specific information than the Minister of Finance has. So I can commit to getting that information and bringing it back to the Member.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services, for that commitment.
Are there any further questions under this section? All right. So Supplementary Estimates, (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022, Department of Health and Social Services, longterm care, continuing care services not previously authorized, $8,588,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed
Supplementary Estimates, (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022, Department of Health and Social Services, total department not previously authorized, $10,652,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Committee, we will now consider the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment on page 9.
Supplementary Estimate (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, minerals and petroleum resources, not previously authorized, $500,000. Does committee agree? Thank you.
Agreed.
Supplementary Estimates, (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, tourism and parks, not previously authorized, $800,000. Does committee agree? Thank you.
Agreed.
Supplementary Estimates, (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, total department, not previously authorized, $1,300,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Committee, we will now consider the Department of Infrastructure on page 10. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022, Department of Infrastructure, programs and services, not previously authorized, $979,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Supplementary Estimates (Appropriation Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022, Department of Infrastructure, total department, not previously authorized, $979,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Committee, we will now consider the Department of Justice on page 11. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures) No 2, 20212022, Department of Justice, community justice and policing, not previously authorized, $316,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022, Department of Justice, total department, not previously authorized, $316,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee.
Do you agree that you have concluded consideration of Tabled Document 43919(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022? Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 43919(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20212022, be now concluded; and, that Tabled Document 43919(2) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.
The motion is in order. To the motion?
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favor? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried. Tabled Document 43919(2) will be reported as ready for consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill.
---Carried
Members, we will move on to the next supplementary estimate. And we'll just have the witnesses remain. Thank you.
Committee, we've agreed to consider Tabled Document 46619(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 4, 20202021. Does the Minister of Finance have any opening remarks?
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I am here to present Tabled Document 46619(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 4, 20202021.
These Supplementary Estimates propose an adjustment of $10.31 million to the authorized longterm borrowing limit established under the Appropriations Act, Operations Expenditures, 20202021.
These Supplementary Estimates will ensure the Government of the Northwest Territories is in compliance with the Financial Administration Act by reflecting the borrowing limit for a debt greater than 365 days for the 2020-2021 fiscal year at $628 million. The change is due to variations in the long-term borrowing requirements that were identified as part of the 2020-2021 year end audit. This variance is largely due to the accounting recognition of project costs for the Tlicho AllSeason Road, which differed from amounts originally forecasted.
That concludes my opening remarks, Madam Chair. I'm happy to take any questions the Members may have.
Thank you, Minister. I will now open the floor for general comments. Seeing no general comments, we will review the supplementary estimates by department.
The committee has agreed to forego general comments on each department. Does the committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?
Committee, we will begin on page 3 with the Department of Finance. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 4, 20202021, Department of Finance, total government borrowing authorization, proposed adjustment, $10,031,000. Does committee agree? Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Perhaps I can just get the Minister of I guess I don't have a lot of issue with adding $10 million more to our massive debt, but I see here that the total government borrowing is $1.19 I'm going to call it just $1.2 billion. I actually thought we were higher than that because I know we were approaching the $1.3 billion cap, and now we got extended to $1.8 billion.
But I can just clarify that by the end of this fiscal, this is what that borrowing limit actually is; there's not some other number that it's different from the imposed cap. Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. So Madam Chair, the federally imposed borrowing limit does not change. This is a change to the actual long-term debt that was taken on in the 2020-2021 year but did not actually have a an impact on the total debt that that was there. It was just that this this amount went over on the long-term debt. I'm sure there's more questions coming, Madam Chair. I'll stop there.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess, can the Minister give me an update on how much room is left then in our cap; how much more money could we borrow. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I think Mr. Courtoreille's going to be faster at doing the math than me in terms of taking our $1.8 billion and then reducing from what the actuals are here. So I'll turn it to him, please.
