Shane Thompson

Thank you. For that detail, I'll ask Assistant Deputy Minister Chapman to respond. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will start, and with your permission, I will turn to the deputy minister. With the City of Yellowknife, we have been in meetings. I think our next meeting is March 2nd, I believe, that we're meeting with them to talk about it. There is a process that we feel we're close to. We've provided it in writing. We've asked for their feedback. We've also reached out to the NWTAC to give it to them because we're not just looking at Yellowknife. We're looking at across the Northwest Territories. We're trying to develop the process, and if I've missed anything, with your permission, I'll ask...

Page 320? You know what? It's probably even better if I just go to the deputy minister to get clarity. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It is being sunsetted, so it is done. The funding of the program has been sunsetted. As for the number of leases or equity leases out there, I think the deputy minister talked about a number of them already going through the process, but all of them, no. They are not all done, but we are able to provide services from our existing staff to fulfil that mandate to complete that task. The task has not completely been completed, but we are working to get that done. For further clarity, if I missed anything, with your permission, I will ask the assistant deputy minister. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I don't deal in hypothetical situations, Mr. Chair. If it was deleted from the budget, then we would have to see what we do. I know how much committee does not like the fact that we're coming back for supplementary appropriations, so it would be a difficult opportunity if we had to go through the supplementary process. Again, I can't deal with hypothetical situations. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Yes, correct.

Thank you. For that detail, I'll turn to the assistant deputy minister. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I appreciate the Member asking me this on the floor. He asked me in Committee of the Whole. Right now, no, we are not doing that. We have prioritized a number of projects that we need to get done. Once those projects are done, that is something that we can go out and do. Presently, we have a whole bunch of priorities that we need to get done with the Department of Lands, and we need to be respectful of that moving forward. We will take the Member's idea and put it in our plans, but presently, no, we are not making that commitment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. First of all, yes, probably me and the Member are going to disagree on why we need it. First and foremost, I respect his opinion, but in regard to the funding through the federal government, it's like all other federal government programs that are out there that we as the GNWT are mandated to work with and utilize. Sometimes, a negotiation takes a little bit longer because it's on their timing and that, so we need to work with them. Right now, we would just move along based on the fact that we feel very comfortable that we are close to signing it and we are able to...

[Microphone turned off] ...is decreased due to sunset of funding for the shortfall in compensation and benefits at devolution. Thank you.