Mr. Johnson, we're on the page 11. We're on the community operations, the $40,000. So your question is on the next section, right, so all right. Not previously authorized, $40,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Okay. Municipal and Community Affairs, public safety, not previously authorized, $39,243,000. Does committee agree? Mr. Johnson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I believe somewhere that there was a $60 million special warrant for the flooding. Can I just clarify whether that figure is included in this $117 million. Thank you.
Minister.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. That is correct. The $60 million special warrant, this appropriation, total flood costs are $109 million of the $117 million that's reflected at that line item. Thank you.
Mr. Johnson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding is that the total flood costs are quite a bit higher than that. So can I just clarify whether we are expecting further supplementary appropriations to come forward for flood costs? Thank you.
Minister.
Mr. Chair, let me turn that to Mr. Courtoreille who I expect will have the most up to date numbers.
Mr. Courtoreille.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. $109 million is the latest number that we have. I understand the department is still working very closely with the community on cost claims, and if there are additional claims that exceed the $109 million, that potentially could be considered in sup 3 later this year for 20222023. And just to clarify, sir, this is only the 20222023 number. There is another amount expected in 20232024 as well. Thank you.
Mr. Johnson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And can someone just tell me how the KFN reserve funding flows into this. I believe they are going through a different process and are expecting hopefully 100 percent money back through the federal government through Indigenous services. Can I just clarify whether this money also includes the KFN money. Thank you.
Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, so it does still include that because the GNWT fronts the costs. But the Member is correct that because it has a different funding source from the federal government, we are expecting that those costs will be 100 percent funded as compared to the 90 percent under the disaster the disaster assistance policy. Thank you.
Mr. Johnson.
No further questions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Municipal and Community Affairs, public safety, not previously authorized, $39,243,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Mahsi, committee. Municipal and Community Affairs, total department, operations expenditures, not previously authorized, $39,283,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Mahsi, committee. Do you agree that you have concluded consideration of Tabled Document 74819(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20222023?
Agreed.
Mr. O'Reilly.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 74819(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20222023, be now concluded; and, that Tabled Document 74819(2) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.
The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? The motion is carried.
Carried
Mahsi, committee. We have concluded consideration of Tabled Document 74819(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20222023. Sergeantatarms, please escort the witnesses out of the Chamber, please. Mahsi. Mr. O'Reilly.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I move that the chair rise and report progress.
There's a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and nondebatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.
Carried
I will now rise and report progress. Mahsi.
Madam Speaker, your committee has been considering Committee Report 36-19(2), Tabled Document 747-19(2), Tabled Document 748-19(2), and would like to report progress with 11 motions adopted. And that Committee Report 36-19(2) is concluded. That consideration of Tabled Documents 747-19(2) and 748-19(2) are concluded and that the House concur in those estimates and that an appropriation bill be based thereon and be introduced without delay. And Madam Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Mahsi.
Thank you. Do I have a seconder? Member for Range Lake. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
Carried.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 58, an Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 2, be read for a third time. And Madam Speaker, I am requesting a recorded vote. Thank you.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
The Member for Hay River South, the Member for Thebacha, the Member for Kam Lake, the Member for Frame Lake, the Member for Nunakput, the Member for Yellowknife North, the Member for Monfwi, the Member for Great Slave, the Member for Nahendeh, the Member for Yellowknife South, the Member for Sahtu, the Member for Range Lake, the Member for Yellowknife Centre, the Member for Hay River North, the Member for Deh Cho.
All those opposed, please rise. All the those abstaining, please rise.
The results of the recorded vote is 15 in favour, zero opposed, and zero abstentions. The motion is carried. Bill 58 has had third reading.
Carried
Third reading of bills. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 59, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act, be read for a third time. And Madam Speaker, I am requesting a recorded vote. Thank you.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'd like to, again, rise in my opposition to clause 12 of this bill which will prohibit cannabis sales on polling day. I want to clarify how committee got here.
They started with a recommendation that said, from the Chief Electoral Officer, as recommended in 2015, this subsection in the Election and Plebiscites Act unfairly penalizes business owners. There is no data available to support a view that the sale of liquor, retail or in establishment, has any bearing in polling day turnout. Most Canadian jurisdictions have eliminated this requirement. And then, somehow, we ended up instead of listening to our Chief Electoral Officer and the Chamber of Commerce and numerous businesses' repeated requests to get rid of liquor on polling day, we are adding cannabis.
I also want to clarify the committee seems to think and were originally bringing forward that this will bring some consistency. However, this will only prohibit cannabis if passed on territorial election day. You can still sell cannabis on municipal election days, federal election days, and municipal election days.
Additionally, the Minister of Finance has recently in their liquor legislation review stated that they will remove the requirement on the prohibition of selling alcohol on polling day. This is actually found in the liquor regulations. It does not require legislative amendment. So the Minister can and should make that change any day. But here we are, once again, making it illegal to sell cannabis every day every four years once a day for really no reason at all.
When the Cannabis Act was passed, it did not include this section. There's no intention as far as I can tell by the Liquor Act or the Cannabis Act to prohibit the selling. It is really just this one motion being brought forward today.
Unfortunately, this morning when I wanted to delete this, I forgot to get a seconder. I have no idea whether I have any support for this or if I am alone but should any Member wish to second a motion deleting clause 12, that would be greatly appreciated or else perhaps this will just go up in smoke. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
To the motion.
