Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m totally in support of this motion. For me, it’s a no-brainer. I have been perplexed since the federal government

announced they were cancelling the long-form census as to what the rationale was for them doing so.

The motion itself references any number of reasons why we need the long-form census. So I don’t think I’m going to repeat what’s in the motion. My colleague Mr. Bromley has covered many other reasons as well.

I just want to read a quote from the executive director of the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg. She said, “They strongly urge the Conservative government to reconsider its plan to cancel the mandatory long-form census. The information and statistics generated by this are critical to the health and well-being of all aboriginal peoples of Canada.”

And that applies in spades to us here in the NWT. So I will be in support of this motion. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government, as well, has agreed to second this motion and will be supporting the motion and its intent for the reasons listed by the Member for Weledeh. I’d also point out that we’re not alone in our concern. There are governments across the country that have filed their concerns and asked for the federal government to reconsider. I have been, along with many Members on this side of the House, at the federal/provincial table talking about northern concerns and have been told many times that our numbers are so small that we’re not statistically significant, and that it’s very difficult to plan and make policy decisions because of that fact. This lack of information will not help that particular circumstance, so we will be supporting this motion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. I will allow the mover of the motion to make closing comments. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the support of colleagues here. I think it’s clear that there is general and considerable concern about eliminating the collection of this information that’s needed as a basis for good decision and its absence would result in suspect data. We suffer from small numbers and the difficulty of statistics anyway, so we don’t need this added problem. Mr. Speaker, I just want to again ask the Cabinet if the Premier would allow a free vote and I request a recorded vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Clerk, the Member is requesting a recorded vote. All those in favour of the motion, please stand.

Thank you. All those opposed to the motion, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand.

Results of the motion: in favour, 16; against, zero; abstaining, zero. The motion is carried unanimously.

---Carried

---Applause

Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 4-16(5), Executive Summary of the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project; Tabled Document 30-16(5), 2010 Review of Members’ Compensation and Benefits; Tabled Document 38-16(5), Supplementary Health Benefits – What We Heard; Tabled Document 62-16(5), Northwest Territories Water Stewardship Strategy; Tabled Document 75-16(5), Response to the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project on the Federal and Territorial Governments’ Interim Response to “Foundation for a Sustainable Northern Future;” Tabled Document 98-16(5), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2009-2010; Tabled Document 99-16(5), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 5, 2009-2010; Tabled Document 100-16(5), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2010-2011; Tabled Document 101-16(5), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2010-2011; Bill 4, An Act to Amend the Social Assistance Act; Committee Report 3-16(5), Standing Committee on Social Programs Report on the Review of the Child and Family Services Act; and Minister’s Statement 65-16(5), Devolution Agreement-in-Principle, Impact on Land Claims and Protection of Aboriginal Rights, with Mr. Krutko in the chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee today would like to proceed with table documents 98, 99, 100 and 101, please. Thank you.

Committee agree?

Okay. With that, we’ll begin with Tabled Document 99-16(5) after our break. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. Prior to the break, we agreed we’d begin with tabled documents 98, 99 and 100. So at this time, I’d like to ask the Minister responsible for the bill if he has any comments. Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am here to present Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2009-2010. This document outlines an increase of $29.284 million for operations expenditures for departmental over-expenditures in the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

During the year-end process to finalize the GNWT financial statements, adjustments are typically made to department expenditures to ensure the statements are prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles. The 2009-2010 year-end process identified a number of adjustments that result in departments exceeding their appropriation authority.

Section 36(4) of the Financial Administration Act states that the Minister of Finance shall submit an appropriation in the form of a supplementary appropriation bill to the Legislative Assembly to finance any departmental over-expenditures resulting from the year-end process.

Therefore, appropriation authority is being sought for adjustments in the following two categories of over-expenditures:

1. Appropriation authority totalling $25.5 million to

account for the reallocation of previously expended capital investment expenditures to operations expenditures. The net financial impact on government operations is nil as the transaction does not represent any additional outlay.

2. $3.8 million to fund departments who over-

expended their approved operations expenditures appropriations in the 2009-2010 year and thus require appropriation authority for the over-expenditures as required by the Financial Administration Act. These over-expenditures result from accounting adjustments made after year-end.

I’m prepared to review the details of the supplementary appropriation document. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. At this time, I’d like to ask the Minister if he’ll be bringing in any witnesses.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Is committee agreed the Minister brings in his witnesses?

Agreed. Sergeant-at-Arms, escort the witnesses in.

Mr. Minister, for the record, can you introduce your witnesses?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have Ms. Margaret Melhorn, deputy minister of Finance; and Sandy Kalgutkar, deputy secretary to the FMB.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Welcome, witnesses. Any general comments with regard to Supplementary Appropriation, No. 4?