Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the current Territorial Health Investment Fund goes until March 31st, and the -- it does support work in a number of different areas with respect specifically to -- there's -- this one -- yes, this one goes until 2028, and that's -- so that would be the timeline for the health care system sustainability unit. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Yellowknife North.
Okay. No, that's very useful to know. Thank you, Mr. Chair, that we at least feel confident about funding for this unit until 2028. Thank you.
Thank you. Is there any further general comments from Members? Seeing none, I'll continue on.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Executive Council offices, not previously authorized, $306,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Indigenous and Intergovernmental Affairs, not previously authorized, $461,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, total department not previously authorized, $6,025,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Committee, we will now consider the Department of Finance starting on page 11. Are there any questions? Seeing none, continuing on.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Finance, directorate, not previously authorized, $6,510,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Finance, human resources, not previously authorized, $1,342,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Finance, management board secretariat, not previously authorized, $389,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Finance, Office of the Chief Information Officer, not previously authorized, $1,033,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Finance, Office of the Comptroller General, not previously authorized, $7,601,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Finance, total department not previously authorized, $16,875,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Committee, we will now consider the Department of Health and Social Services starting on page 13. Are there any questions from Members? Seeing none, continuing on.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Health and Social Services, administrative support services, not previously authorized, $5,291,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Health and Social Services, health and social services programs, not previously authorized, $34,481,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Health and Social Services long-term or continuing care services, not previously authorized, $4,028,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Health and Social Services, supplementary health programs, not previously authorized, $5 million. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Health and Social Services, total department not previously authorized, $48,800,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Committee, we will now consider the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment starting on page 15. Are there any questions? Thank you.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, corporate management, not previously authorized, $510,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, economic diversification and business support, not previously authorized, $2,449,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, mineral and petroleum resources, not previously authorized, $1,323,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, tourism and parks, not previously authorized, $475,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, total department not previously authorized, $4,757,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Committee, we will now consider the Department of Infrastructure starting on page 16. Are there any questions? Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I just wanted to ask some questions about the -- follow-up actually on the questions asked earlier today by the Member for Deh Cho.
For the cable repairs on the Deh Cho Bridge, you know, knowing that there were defects in the metallurgy of the metals that were used, to what extent is the company that provided that product liable for that cost? Can the Minister share any insights with us as to our success in kind of pursuing compensation for those materials? Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, that's probably a question for the Minister of Infrastructure, and that Minister doesn't have a briefing binder on the detail here. I can assure the House and the Member that I asked that very same question, and somewhere just around the timing of it in terms of -- and, again, I don't want to misstate certainly here on the floor, but my recollection is that we were just outside of the time of when there would have been warranty and that the nature of what occurred would not be one that would be covered. So, you know, I certainly haven't ruled out as I understand the potential for some degree of an insurance claim and, you know, again, were that to happen it wouldn't be something that we could speak to here. So just to assure that I've asked those questions and, again, we may be in a tight spot. Certainly, we don't want to delay repairing the bridge to sort out some of those issues. That would come at a later date and if we can recoup those costs, all the better. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for that answer. And I certainly encourage the Minister to pursue whatever means they can to kind of recoup any costs associated with material defects.
The next question is on the Hay River harbour restoration project, I note that that one's not covered by any federal funding but is -- the Hay River harbour is something that I'm sure the feds access through coast guard ships. I'm just curious to what extent does the Minister feel that the federal government, you know, uses this infrastructure and should perhaps be considering -- we should be looking to them to chip in for restoration themselves. Thanks.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, until 1997, the dredging of the Hay River harbour was, in fact, completed by Public Works and Government Services Canada on behalf of Transport Canada. Indeed, the coast guard does rely on the accessible channel and the ability to move their ships and vessels through this very same space. However, for reasons I'm certainly not privy to, between 1997 and 2012, that started to change. The GNWT was relying on funding and started to undertake the work. There was still at that time a memorandum of understanding with the Canadian coast guard and Department of Fisheries and Oceans but then it has somehow fallen off the wayside since 2012, and obviously we were in a situation, particularly with the low water, where this was falling to the GNWT to step up.
I do want to note our federal friends did support our efforts with the contribution towards the work that was underway but obviously, you know, it is not lost on me that the coast guard ships are required in order to make the river navigable and to provide basic safety certainly as well. So we'll certainly hopefully look to opportunities to see what they, through Department of Fisheries and Oceans, coast guard, etcetera, can do to ensure navigable waters through the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
