Debates of March 27, 2023 (day 150)

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. So because we're in a public forum, I want some assurance from the Minister that her responses to my public questions are going to be public information. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, anything that certainly has been spent to date would be form part of, you know, either the public accounts or would certainly, you know, be able to be spoken to publicly here. I think the only challenge I'd run into is with respect to matters that are being procured in the future years. But and actually, Madam Chair, as I sit here, it would appear that I may have that.

To date we have spent $24,000, is the number I'm getting. So, again but let me I'm I think we can provide more information than that about this project generally by the project leads, which does determine about or does require the Department of ITI to be involved. So $24,000 to date is what I have but I think there's a lot more that I can or hopefully some more that I can provide, and I would make sure that what we're providing is something that can be public in relation to the work that's happening on the Mineral Resource Act regulations project. I think it and that would include, Madam Chair, around the idea that there would be speculation. That matter has been raised with ITI, and I know they do have a fulsome response to it. So I'd like them to be able to provide that to the Member and to, I think, alleviate his fears. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yeah, I'm not fearful; I just want the information to be made public. I've seen the information the Minister's provided in confidence. I do not understand or accept that it has to be kept confidential. We've got a budgeted amount here for this work. So I guess what and a better understanding how much has been spent, I don't see any reason why that can't be made public. So I want the assurance of the Minister that in her fuller response that she'll be able to, say, perhaps table that in the House. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, again, just subject to not going too far in the future in terms of procurement dollars, of the dollars that have not been yet put out for procurement, other than that responses will they can be certainly tabled in the House. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Okay, thanks. I accept that the information on money that's already been spent can be made public. In the future, maybe it's bit dodgier, but we are actually being asked to authorize moving $1.717 million into a future. So clearly that's what's part of the budget for this project.

So I guess my last maybe I'll start maybe I should never say last, Madam Chair, is I don't think I've actually ever seen, or at least a more recent version, of some kind of public schedule about the implementation of the Mineral Resources Act and the regulations. I've seen bits and pieces, some in confidence. Can the Minister commit to actually provide a public schedule for what's going to happen at the end of this Assembly? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, we'll provide a public document that shows the timeline to the end anticipated timelines to the end of the Assembly. I don't know where that's at in terms of that's obviously not what I have in front of me right now, Madam Chair. So I don't know if I will be tabling that in the next, you know, sort of 72 hours. But we'll make sure that we get something out publicly. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yeah, I appreciate that because it's been a long time since there's been any effort to actually lay that out in a public fashion, so. And if the Minister can do it before the end of the week, even better but and if she can't do it, I don't think it should wait until the end of May. So can I get an assurance from the Minister that she's not going to wait until May to make this information public. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I agree it doesn't need to take until May.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

That's all I've got. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 20222023, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, capital investment expenditures, minerals and petroleum resources, not previously authorized negative, $1,717,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 20222023, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, capital investment expenditures, total department not previously authorized, negative $991,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you. Please turn to page 8. Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 20222023, Department of Infrastructure, capital investment expenditures, programs and services not previously authorized, $158,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 20222023, Department of Infrastructure, capital investment expenditures, total department not previously authorized, $158,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you, committee. Do you agree that you have concluded consideration of Tabled Document 88119(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 20222023? Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 88119(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 20222023, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 88119(2) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Mahsi, Madam Chair.

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Can you raise your hands? All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried. Tabled Document 88119(2) will be reported as ready for consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill.

Carried

Thank you, Minister. Committee, we've agreed to consider Tabled Document 88219(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operation Expenditures), No. 3, 20222023. Does the Minister of Finance have opening remarks?

Madam Chair, I do. However, I thought we were doing the infrastructure sup and so I have the wrong ones in front of me, Madam Chair. But if you'll bear with me a moment, I will be able to read the correct ones to you. All right, no, that's still not it. All right, Madam Chair, I'm happy to present Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 20222023.

These supplementary estimates propose a total increase of $44.1 million, of which $11.9 million will be offset by revenues from the Government of Canada. These supplementary estimates propose the following expenditures:

$6.3 million for Technology Service Centre costs incurred by departments;

$26.6 million in support of health and wellness services for residents of the Northwest Territories including:

$15.8 million to support recruitment and retention of physicians and frontline nursing staff;

$3.9 million for adult supportive living services and $882,000 for foster care and support agreements;

$3.4 million for the medical travel program;

$2 million for radiology and referred laboratory services; and,

$633,000 for chemotherapy drug supplies.

Also,

$1.8 million for justice and court services, including $1 million for court circuit travel costs and deputy judge honoraria, as well as $808,000 for enhancements and extensions to the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program; and,

$375,000 for support to the 20222025 Energy Action Plan.

Additionally, we are proposing the following supplementary expenditures, which are supported by federally funded agreements, including:

$8.47 million in support of health and social programs that includes $6 million in support of First Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care Agreements and the Territorial Health Investment Fund;

$1.18 million to support Environment and Natural Resources agreements including $300,000 for cooperation in the continuation of the National Forest Inventory Remeasurement, $200,000 for Peary Caribou Movements and Habitat Use, and $300,000 for Wood Bison Collaborative Working Groups in the Northwest Territories;

$1.08 million in support of the CanadaNorthwest Territories Workforce Development Agreement and the Labour Market Development Agreement;

$394,000 for the PanTerritorial Sport Strategy Agreement;

$374,000 in support of Women In Leadership and madeintheNorth campaign schools;

$316,000 in support of public housing renovations; and,

$130,000 to enhance economic activity, including $80,000 to support sealskin artisan development and $50,000 to investigate the use of NWT's geological materials for cement production.

That concludes my opening remarks, Madam Chair, and we are happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Minister. I'll now open the floor for general comments. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. So I think I'm on the right fund now. What's the supplementary reserve, what do we start off with, and what was it before the sup and what's it going to be after the sup? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And, Madam Chair, just of note, we might make a change on the infrastructure sups in terms of the language of using supplementary reserve because I appreciate that that is a confusing way of putting it. But there is a supplementary reserve for operations. It started off at $35,000, but as a result of the appropriations and the supplementary appropriations, including the proposed one at present, we are expecting to be in a deficit of negative $77 million to $422,000.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I think the Minister just slipped there. It's not $35,000 for the supplementary reserve. At the beginning, it was $35 million. But that's okay. So I guess the reason why I have to keep asking these questions is because this information isn't public. So is there a way that we can do this in the future where the information in the sup, somehow there's a page or something that says how much we're getting from the feds in general for this stuff, what the net effect is on the reserve and, you know, how much additional debt is being added. Is there a way in which we could do that in the future so I or some zombie of me that comes back doesn't have to ask these questions again. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, let me take that back to the department. I don't have a ready answer as to why that wouldn't be a chart that could be included. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Yeah, thanks. Because we get that kind of information in the main estimates. Well, sort of although whatever. Anyways, I just think it's a good thing in terms of greater disclosure, transparency, and so on, and I'm sure the Minister will find a way to do it.

So this, you know I think, as I understand it, I think I heard the Minister say that the supplementary reserve is going to be $35 million well, maybe $44 million in debt or whatever. How do we cover that shortfall, and do we have to go and get shortterm, you know, debt coverage somehow and pay an interest rate for that that's higher than maybe longterm debt? How does that shortfall get covered, and what does it cost us? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, well, depending on the timing of it, there can certainly be, you know, a cash flow situation that would require a shortterm debt but in general at this point in the fiscal year, we can look back and say that that if there was a projected surplus, then this these amounts come out of whatever that projected surplus would be or eats into that, as you might say, which then, in turn, takes away money that would be available for the capital investments. And in this case, there was a projected surplus and that, between the supplementary appropriations and the special warrant to support flood relief, we are now down to anticipating only a roughly $4 million surplus in the fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks. So I think I heard the Minister say so then at the end of 20222023, the operating surplus is going to be $3 million; is that what I heard the Minister say? Thanks.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Estimating or projecting $4 million at this point.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.