Okay.

Education, Culture and Employment, appropriation authority required: $86,516,000.

Education, Culture and Employment,

$86,516,000 approved.

Department of

Transportation, appropriation authority required: $26,756,000.

Transportation, $26,756,000 approved.

Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, appropriation authority required: $14,958,000.

Industry, Tourism and Investment, $14,958,000

approved.

Page 5, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, appropriation authority required: $27,623,000.

Environment and Natural Resources,

$27,623,000 approved.

Operations expenditure appropriation, appropriation authority required: $381,275,000.

Total Interim Appropriation for Operations

Expenditures, $381,275,000 approved.

Schedule 2, Capital

Investment Expenditures, Legislative Assembly, appropriation authority required: $540,000.

Schedule 2, Capital Investment Expenditures,

Legislative Assembly, $540,000 approved.

Department of Executive, appropriation authority required: $7.5 million. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to ask a question. I made reference to the contracts-over-$5,000 report that comes out. I think the Minister made reference to the fact that it comes from ITI. Could we not look at, like…? If we are going to spend $7.5 million on, finally and thankfully, getting this system up to a standard where you can actually do something with it, can’t we look at migrating the reports that are generated — like that contracts report — over to FMBS so that they can print it off in a format that’s useful for anybody looking at it?

Mr. Chairman, I’ve been

informed that that is one of the areas that’s targeted as a potential migration over to the FIS system. So it is one of a number of areas that we’ve worked with. All the departments in this…. FIS is coming up with a new system that would work with departmental equipment as well as new programs, and this is one of those areas that is targeted for migration into the FIS system. Thank you.

I’m very encouraged to hear that from the Minister today. Thank you.

I wanted to ask a question relative to the FIS system. I understand that it’s an ongoing project, but I would like to know whether or not there is an urgency to this project. My understanding is that these capital projects that we’re looking at in this interim appropriation are those that have a sense of urgency or they’re under contract or there’s a safety issue required. So if the Minister could advise if there’s an urgency to this project, as much as it’s needed. I ask that question. Thank you.

Mr.

Chairman, as the

government of the Northwest Territories, while not in the 16th Assembly, we know from past

experience in the last government that when systems fail, they can cause havoc in how we do business and how things are carried out. This FIS system is a very old platform. We’ve been nursing it along to keep it functional, but we’re running out of people who actually have experience with the program that’s written, and we’re having to do this now for the integrity of our mainframe.

Thank you, Mr. Roland.

We’re under Department of Executive, appropriation authority required: $7,500,000.

Executive, $7,500,000 approved.

Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, appropriation authority required: $1,421,000.

Municipal and Community Affairs, $1,421,000

approved.

Department of Public Works and Services, appropriation authority required: $6,534,000. Ms. Bisaro.

Mr.

Chairman, I have a similar

question relative to the infrastructure upgrades for the Technology Service Centre. I understand that we do have a greening program for our technology and evergreen program — or whatever the title is. However, I’m wondering again as to the urgency. There’s a fair amount of money that’s involved in these upgrades and server replacements, I think. So again, I ask the question whether or not there is a sense of urgency to these projects and if they cannot wait until May/June when we look at the whole capital plan? Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, in this area, we've gone to the departments to request what they would need to proceed at this stage. Quite a number of the smaller projects that make up this amount flow into either work that's been started. And that was one of the criteria: if work had been initiated in a previous year and this is a continuation of that, then they find themselves on this plan.

As well, there are a number of other areas we're challenged in. Again, it comes back to our systems and ensuring that we have the required backup components — for example, in TSC — to ensure that if there are any problems with the existing systems, we don't lose critical information regarding our financial data or human resource data.

There are a number of reasons that these are included. One is multi-year projects. As an example, at the Stuart Hodgson Building, that's a computer room upgrade. It is a multi-year project.

We found from previous years, because it is sensitive equipment, we don't have the proper air handling systems in there. This could potentially cause our systems to fail, and that is why that's going in there.

There are a number of reasons: multi-year projects that are ongoing, and ones where there is a need to move forward with these initiatives.

Mr. Chair, I thank the Minister for that explanation.

I guess I would urge the government to consider extending the time span of the Evergreen Project. If we're currently on five years, I would ask them to consider changing the term — the lifespan of equipment — to, say, six years, to try and save some money. I know that's debatable, but that's my suggestion.

I do have a question with regard to a project which doesn't seem to be an ongoing project. There are renovations to the vital records processing and storage facility, and I'm wondering about the urgency of that project.

Mr. Chairman, this project consists of renovations to the Yellowknife Records Centre to create a vital records and multimedia processing and storage area. That would go back to having adequate space and areas for our electronic systems. I don't have the background on that piece, on what stage it is in — whether it’s a totally new project or, as highlighted, it doesn't have prior-year costs but may be at the point where they're needing to proceed. I don't know if the Minister would have any background on that.

Mr. Chairman, I believe it’s an initiative to provide and create new space to enable us to have enough room for all the records and the storage that we need for the department. I don't have anything further on it.

Mr. Chair, I understand that storage is important. But again, with no prior-years’ expenditures, I really wonder why this project is included in the interim appropriation and would suggest that it probably could be left until the full budget. There is no question there. Thank you.

Thank you. Ms. Bisaro.

I'll revise my thought. I will ask the question: why can this project not be left until the full budget in May-June?

Mr. Chairman, we have gone back to all departments, requesting them to look at what is needed to proceed at this juncture and what could be put off. The department has looked at this and put it forward as needing to proceed with this work, to make sure that they do have the storage

available for their records. It’s something we've had a problem with within the government for years, in the form of paper and boxes in basements. But with this updated electronic area, with all our new data and equipment, we need to have storage for that type of information and backup.

I can't give much more than that at this point. As Members are aware, if they feel there are projects here that shouldn't proceed, that is an option to this Assembly at this point: to make amendments to this document before we have a final vote.