Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is the way I remembered the process. So in other words, the government has not had the authorization to spend these funds at this point.
Since the Minister is not offering up any reduction here, I would like to point out the areas that I have some concerns with. I would agree that the Members of this Legislative Assembly agreed to add a Minister to Cabinet over what is there. I am willing to accept that there are some expenses that entails.
I have to say I am somewhat surprised by the numbers that have been presented to us today to justify this. Things like computer and hardware equipment for $20,000 for a two and a half-month period. Even if they are one-time expenses, it seems relatively high. Home travel is apparently something that is being used to justify the total of $76,500 that the Minister has mentioned for the additional costs for a Minister.
When I look at this Cabinet, there has not been anyone added that should be increasing the cost of home travel. In the previous Cabinet of six, we had the same number of Cabinet Ministers from outside of Yellowknife. Home travel does not affect those within Yellowknife. Why is there a need for an extra $10,000 for home travel? We have not increased the number of Cabinet Ministers outside of Yellowknife. Why is there an increase needed for two months for $6,000 for maintaining duplicate residences. I do not understand where this extra cost is coming from when we have not added Cabinet Ministers who need to take advantage of that.
Going on under Ministers' offices, Mr. Chairman, they keep coming back to what are we taking out of the budget that affects the people of the Northwest Territories. Earlier this afternoon in a response to me, the Premier said that his government would not initiate or take on new work without the support of Members. Mr. Chairman, I had expected that there would be two empty offices at the Minister's end. This is not so. I look at the $75,000 that is left after we take the $76,500 off for a new Minister and say that was not something that I was consulted about. It is an ongoing expense. The extra $75,000 will keep going on for more than two months. It multiples significantly in the new year.
This was not something that was taken on with any consultation that I am aware of by the Members in this Legislative Assembly. We are looking at something that is not previously authorized. It was not something that had been discussed by this government with all of the Members. I have to express a significant concern about seeing that amount in there. I leave it to the Minister to respond. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.