Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my next set of questions are actually for the Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs.
So last fall, the government responded to the challenge of encampments popping up around Yellowknife by establishing an on-the-land camp for those who didn't have access to a home in Yellowknife. But the camp required participants to be sober in order to be there. Can the Minister explain whether the camp did actually consistently reach its maximum capacity, and if not, whether that requirement for sobriety prevented the camp from including all those who really did need a home during that time? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of EIA.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The camp did not reach its maximum capacity continuously. I don't believe it reached its maximum capacity ever, actually. But it did not prevent people who needed a home from having a home because there was still -- I know the Member asked about a home but there was shelter space available in Yellowknife, and so there was always shelter space available even for those who could not go to the on-the-land camp. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So has the government worked with partners to look at the feasibility of establishing an on-the-land camp for the under-housed population that would not require sobriety? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So we are expecting the report back from the camp operator in the coming weeks, so we'll have a look at that and see what it says.
I will note that a number of the participants at the camp appreciated that it was a sober camp, and that helped them in their journey. So I think that's something that we need to consider, is that there are spaces if you -- you know, you aren't sober, but there really wasn't a lot available if you were, and so this offered people that opportunity. There is going to be a working -- there's going to be meetings coming up in March with the city and with NGOs to look at other options going forward and determine what is needed and what we can do together. And so options like the Member is speaking about could be raised there. Thank you.
Thank you, Premier. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I look forward to outcomes of those further discussions. So some shelter providers in Yellowknife are looking to establish better working relationships with Indigenous governments, both to explore what further supports could be offered to shelter users who are members of those communities but also to explore is the potential for establishing on-the-land camps for shelter users. So what steps has EIA taken to help facilitate those kinds of partnerships between Indigenous governments and shelter providers in Yellowknife given that it's quite well placed to do so? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I also think the NGOs in Yellowknife are well placed to reach out to the Indigenous governments. We can provide phone numbers, contact information, and they can make those connections themselves. What is needed is alignment between the NGOs and between the Indigenous governments so that they can actually work together. And so once we have all of these discussions, there might be opportunities to put together an Indigenous government with an NGO as in try to get them together. But it's really not up to the GNWT to do that type of work. I think the NGOs are more than capable. They have connections with the Indigenous governments. Many of them are made up of members of the local, you know, Indigenous government. So I think there's opportunities for this to happen without GNWT intervention, but we're happy to help where we can. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's been a modernization of the federal disaster financial assistance arrangements known as DFAA. The Northwest Territories has -- well, you yourself, Mr. Speaker, in a different role understand this program very well. This modernization is supposed to improve how money flows to jurisdictions, especially when they face climate change induced emergencies. Can the Minister responsible for emergency preparedness through Municipal and Community Affairs give us an update as to how this is going to help our ability to respond more quickly to emergencies? Thank you.
Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member's probably aware, the program is a federal program and we adopt it or utilize it in order to get funds back from the federal government during an emergency. So some of the changes that have happened in the new update, they have the new strategic investment. This increases funding for disaster mitigation, building back better to minimize impacts and future risks; the risk reduction incentives, encouraging pre-disaster planning; hazard awareness to proactively reduce disaster impacts; also has expanded supports, more help for people experiencing significant disaster impacts, and more efficient administration. So these are just some of the changes that are in the new DFAA that's supposed to be rolling out and effective April 1st. We're still opening the books essentially, if you will, and hopefully by April 1st, we'll have a better handle on what it fully entails. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister mentioned improved support programs for individuals impacted by disaster. I still -- he's aware I still have constituents who are at significant financial hardship as a result of this owing thousands of dollars. Are these changes going to help my constituents recoup their losses from the evacuation in 2023? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think there was a lot of hardship through the territories with the disasters in no particular riding. I think there was a lot of impacts to people's livelihoods. And, you know, we've all worked through them. The government's worked through them and trying to get federal funding to these impacted residents. However, this new DFAA is starting off April 1st. It is not retroactive and doesn't cover off any previous emergencies. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is sitting on funding that it lapsed for disaster relief. Can the Minister explain why that funding that's been received is still with the department and not being sent to communities or individuals who are affected by disaster? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not aware of any funding that we're sitting on. The money that is approved or that has been sent to us is for estimated disaster costs through what the department has received through the estimates. And that covers off emergency or any expense claims that are eligible through the DFAA. So those claims are being put through and as part of the cycle, we have to account for all that money is being processed. So as far as I'm aware, we're not sitting on any money. This is money that's all accounted for and being transferred to impacted residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: 2025-2026 Main Estimates and 2025-2026 Business Plan Update. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Status of Women.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Status of Women Council of the Northwest Territories 2023-2024 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 275-20(1), Main Estimates 2025-2026. We will now consider the Legislative Assembly. Does the Speaker have any opening comments?
Yes, I do. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the 2025-2026 Main Estimates for the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly.
The proposed budget for the 2025-2026 is an expenditure of $25.446 million, revenue of $15,000 and infrastructure investments of $500,000. The budget of $25.446 million reflects a decrease of $1.5 million. The operations expenditure of $25.446 million, reflects a decrease of $1.5 million (6 percent) compared to the 2024-2025 Budget.
This reduction is primarily attributed to the total decrease of $1.98 million in pension contributions which includes a shift to a flat-rate contribution of $883,0000, down from $1.84 million for the year 2025-2026 to 2028-2029; and, a reduction in pension expenditures of $1.027 million, largely driven by an increase in the discount rate from 3.7 percent to 4.4 percent, as projected for the years 2025 to 2029 resulting in reduced pension expenses.
The overall budget takes a conservative approach to prioritizing fiscal responsibilities. This involves strategic service consolidations and capitalizing on favorable pension returns to optimize funding.
Key budget increases are limited to essential areas specifically to account for collective bargaining obligations and other high-priority initiatives. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Do you wish to bring witnesses into the house?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Agreed. Thank you. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses into the chamber.
Would the Speaker please introduce his witnesses.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my left is Glen Rutland, clerk of the Legislative Assembly. On my right -- and I apologize if I say his last name wrong -- Alex Mulooki, acting deputy clerk, Member and precinct services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The committee has agreed to forego general comments on the Legislative Assembly. Does committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?
Agreed.
Thank you. Committee, we will differ the legislative summary and review the estimates by activity summary beginning with expenditures on behalf of the Members starting on page 8. Are there any questions? The Member from Frame Lake, please proceed.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't actually have any questions. I just have a quick comment, and I just wanted to compliment the Speaker and the clerk on a good job following a fiscally responsible budget. I know that, you know, the Speaker got hit with a meme or two on our favorite Yellowknife memes page but nevertheless managed to pull out a fiscally responsible budget, and I'm happy to see it. I don't have any questions for the Speaker or his staff. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the Member from Frame Lake. Any further questions, comments? No further questions. Please proceed to page 9.
Legislative Assembly expenditures on behalf of the Members, operational expenditures summary, 2025-2026 Main Estimates, $8,787,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Moving on to the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer beginning on page 10 with an information item on page 12. Are there any questions? Seeing none, no further questions, please proceed to page 11.
Legislative Assembly, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, operations expenditures summary, 2025-2026 Main Estimates, $622,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Moving on to the Office of the Clerk beginning on page 13 with information items on page 15. Are there any questions? Seeing none, no further questions, please turn to page 14.
Legislative Assembly, Office of the Clerk, operations expenditures summary, 2025-2026 Main Estimates, $11,365,000.
Agreed.
Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Moving on to the Office of the Speaker beginning on page 16 with information items on page 18. Are there any questions? Seeing none, no further questions, please turn to page 17.
The Legislative Assembly, Office of the Speaker, operations expenditures summary, 2025-2026 Main Estimates, $564,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Moving on to statutory officers beginning on page 19 with information items on pages 22 and 23. Are there any questions? Seeing none, no further questions, please turn to page 20.
The Legislative Assembly, statutory offices, operations expenditures summary, 2025-2026 Main Estimates, $4,108,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
