Thank you. Calling committee to order. I will now call the committee to order. What is the wish of the committee? I'm going to go to the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 279-20(1), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. We'll take a short recess, about 20 minutes. Okay, thank you.
---SHORT RECESS
Committee, Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Tabled Document 279-20(1), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, February 10th, 2025.
Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 279-20(1) Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025. Does the Minister of Finance wish to bring witnesses into the House?
Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witness into the Chamber. Would the Minister please introduce her witnesses.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, on my left, Bill MacKay as deputy minister of finance. And on my right, Mandi Bolstad as the deputy secretary to the financial management board.
Thank you. We began consideration of these supplementary estimates on Friday, February 7th, 2025. When we reported progress on Friday, we were considering a motion to defer further consideration of the directorate activity in the Department of Finance. That motion was moved by the Member from Range Lake. It was in order and has been distributed. Before we proceed today, we will need to conclude consideration of this motion. Do any Members wish to speak to the motion. I'm going to go the Minister on this.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm certainly happy to speak, again, a little bit to some of the circumstances that led to the proposal to have a $12 million over four years, so 48 over four years rather, 12 a year, and hopefully that can alleviate some of the concern or confusion.
What was in my mind, and I just couldn't find my notes from last week because, really, they were relating to my knowledge of this from being NTPC Minister, one of the reasons for selecting this option of doing the $12 million over four, it -- well, for one, it was the lowest rate impact that we were looking to achieve at a reasonable impact to the GNWT, and we were comparing it against an opportunity or an option to put the $48 million, just slightly over $48 million, on the Taltson overhaul as that might align with some of the costs that we were seeing there.
That option, though, because of the user pay model in the space wouldn't result in different communities in different regions having different rate impacts from the GRA. By putting a rate subsidy directly allows NTPC to propose an impact that would be equal and even on the rates across the territories and actually result in a better outcome than what an infrastructure contribution would be, so. And, yes, I'm sorry I didn't have that information on Friday. I'm happy to relay that and happy to answer any further questions if there are any. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Range Lake to the motion.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 6.2(14) to withdraw Motion 71 although debate has already begun. Thank you.
Thank you. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
The motion is withdrawn. And, committee, I will call the key activity again.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, Department of Finance, operations expenditures, directorate, not previously authorized, $11,950,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Committee, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, Department of Finance, operations expenditures, human resources, not previously authorized, negative $30,000. Are there any questions? Seeing no further questions.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, Department of Finance, operations expenditures, human resources, not previously authorized, negative $30,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, Department of Finance, operations expenditures, total department not previously authorized, $11,920,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Please turn to page 8 for the Department of Health and Social Services.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, administrative and support services, not previously authorized, negative $23,000. Are there any questions? Seeing no further questions.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, administrative support services, not previously authorized, negative $23,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, health and social services programs, not previously authorized, $6,022,000. Are there any questions? Seeing no further questions.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, health and social services programs, not previously authorized, $6,022,000. Does the committee agree? I got Member from Range Lake.
Thank you. I'd like to ask about the contract -- sorry, the $2.4 million and change to provide -- reflect the impact of costs associated with agency and contract staffing. Can the Minister explain what that is. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, that is a request for a shortfall that is being experienced both at NTHSSA and the Tlicho Community Services Agency, and so there's some for agency nurses as well as agency nurses is about $1.9 million, but then you also have paramedics at 1.4 and pharmacists in addition to that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So in the TCSA, does the Minister have the breakdown on who's being -- which contracts are present at the TCSA out of those agency nurses, paramedics, and pharmacies; is it all three or just one or two or whatever? Maybe more detail, please. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I mean, Mr. Chair, I do -- so I do have the breakdowns as between TCSA versus NTHSSA but I'm not -- I don't know that I have the breakdown individually within each region or community, so if that's the level of detail that the Member's looking for I would have to -- although I can see if perhaps deputy secretary might have more information.
Thank you. I'll go to the deputy secretary.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So it's primarily agency nurses between the three that make up the majority of the expenditure, the paramedics contract, and there's a very small amount for a pharmacist contract in Inuvik that was only $37,000. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Range Lake.
Thank you. So the Minister can confirm, then, that agency nurses have been deployed to both -- sorry, to the TCSA and to NTHSSA? Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that does look correct. So both -- all three, actually, we have Stanton, Inuvik, as well as the Tlicho. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Range Lake.
Thank you. Does the Minister have the total that we've expended on agency nurses in the last -- yeah, in the last 2014-2015 estimates? Just looking for, like, if there's a wrap-up with these costs on top of what we've already spent. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister.
Mr. Chair, I don't have that. I have only the information with respect to the supplementary estimates here in front of me. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Range Lake.
I'm sorry, could the Minister repeat her answer.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Mr. Chair, I have -- I only have here the supplementary estimates total. I don't have the original line item. I may be able to find it. It would be a line item potentially in the 2025-2026 budget but that is considered by committee. So I -- yes, I don't have the original budget; I have only the supplementary estimates around here, sorry. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Range Lake.
Thank you. Moving on to the costs for contract services in the Beaufort Delta, $791,000. Can the Minister provide substantiation for that as well. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
