Thank you. Total capital, $410,000. Agreed?

Page 11-19.

Thank you. We are on page 11-19, Resource Management and Economic Development, operations and maintenance. Mr. Erasmus.

Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, the Member had pointed out that we were not complying with the requirements of the NWT Development Corporation Act, and there is a need to make sure that we comply with our own legislation. There is no disagreement about that. We want to make sure that this government is not criticized for not complying with its own legislation. The Cabinet has moved, rather decisively to comply with the act and as an added safeguard, as I have said earlier, I understand Cabinet to have agreed that I, as a Minister who is responsible for making sure Cabinet complies with the act at all times, is given the prerogative to advance names in the event that we are not complying with the act. That is what I meant. It is not exactly what I said, but it is what I meant. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Erasmus.

I will let the Minister answer, but I do not believe that is what he said. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There is a political process that we use to make sure that all boards are appointed properly, legally and politically, and in an acceptable manner. Generally, we ask every MLA to forward a nominee or a number of nominees for consideration by Cabinet. It is sometimes not possible to appoint Members for various reasons. Sometimes there is difficulty to work through this process. It takes a lot of time. The fact of it is, the act does not say how names should be solicited or advanced for consideration by the executive, but that has been largely the way that we have chosen to operate over the years. Obviously, debate this week, questions in question period have illustrated very clearly, we have not been complying with the act and we have known that. We have acted, in the last few weeks, to come into compliance. We are also going to advance additional names over the next couple of weeks to the Cabinet.

I will continue to ask Members of the Legislature to provide nominees for consideration by Cabinet to bring the total number of board members up to at least ten. We will also look at legislative amendments to bring down the minimum and maximum number of board composition because, since division, we believe no longer a need to have up to 12 and a minimum of seven, and we believe we can lower that. We will look at bring legislative amendments forward to do that. I also understand that, as a Minister, I am given the prerogative to advance names for consideration by Cabinet. It does not mean I will have my nominees approved by Cabinet. In order to make sure that we can always comply with the act, Cabinet has agreed that, as the Minister responsible for advancing names for consideration by Cabinet, that I will have the prerogative to ask for names by whatever means I can I suppose, for consideration to Cabinet, so it would not necessarily be by talking to MLAs that I will get these nominees. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Further questions? Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Mr. Minister.

Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Erasmus.

Mr. Erasmus, I will allow your question, but you are getting off the subject of funding, the budget issues, and so forth and you are starting to look at what was said previously in the debates. I will give the Minister an opportunity to answer, but we do want to advise that we are here to consider the budget. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is quite simple really. The policy and the process of how to advance names for consideration by Cabinet is not really covered anywhere. As I have said, it has been political practice and the policy of Cabinet to request nominees from the Members of the Legislature. That is a long-standing practice and policy and it will continue to be the way in which we acquire nominees for consideration for appointments to the board. That should be fairly clear.

Cabinet has also agreed, as of this morning, that for added safeguard, I can, as a Minister, forward names for their consideration when it becomes necessary to make sure that we have more than the minimum number of board members appointed. When I was speaking on Tuesday, or whenever it was he is quoting me from, I was saying basically what was standing practice at that time. It is only this morning that there has been a bit of flexibility shown by Cabinet in allowing me to put forward names for their consideration without having to get those names or nominees from MLAs, as I can come up with names by working directly with individual MLAs or perhaps going directly to communities and regions asking for names. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Your time has expired, Mr. Erasmus. We are on Resource Management and Economic Development, operations and maintenance, $32.537 million. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe I just read out the names of the newly appointed board members in response to a question by Mr. Henry at the beginning of opening remarks and general comments when myself, Mr. Handley and Mr. Krutko, assumed our chairs here.