Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thanks for the Minister’s clarification there. Again, I don’t know, but it just seems like it would be a good thing to have that built in somewhere in here, and maybe it is at some point, but I think that sort of clarity would be good. Although we hear about it in other forums, it might be good even in a narrative sense at the beginning of the department in the budget document here just to have that clarity. Just a suggestion there.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. I know the Minister has noted that comment. Committee, 3-27, activity summary, labour relations, operations expenditure summary, $2.818 million. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Committee, 3-28, information item, labour relations, active positions. Any questions? Seeing none, I’d like to have you return to the department summary on 3-7. Human Resources, department summary. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. We will just allow a moment for the motion to circulate.

The motion I have before us here is in order and is not debatable. The motion is defeated.

---Defeated

Committee, 3-7, Human Resources, department summary, operations expenditure summary, $23.636 million. Does committee agree?

Does committee agree that consideration of the Department of HR has been concluded?

Thank you, committee. I’d like to thank the Minister here today. I’d like to thank our witnesses, Ms. Bassi-Kellett and Ms. Beard, for joining us today. Sergeant-at-Arms, if I can get you to escort the witnesses out of the House. Thank you.

As agreed upon by committee, we are going to continue discussions today with Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations. With that, I’ll turn the floor over to Premier McLeod to see if he has any opening comments.

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.

Please proceed, Premier.

I am pleased to present the 2014-2015 Main Estimates for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations.

The department’s main estimates propose an operations expenditures budget of $9.195 million, an increase of 5 percent from the 2013-2014 Main Estimates. This increase is largely attributed to $131,000 in forced growth for collective bargaining adjustments and $277,000 in investments to support the increased workload that will result from devolution. This includes assuming a lead role in lands negotiations at all Aboriginal rights negotiations in the Northwest Territories and coordinating the activities of the Intergovernmental Council on Land and Resource Management.

The department’s 2014-2015 Main Estimates also include the restatement of resources to reflect the transfer of the women’s advisory unit from the Department of Executive and the Aboriginal consultation unit from the Department of Justice.

The decision was made to transfer the senior advisor for the Status of Women position to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, as this position liaises with both the Northwest Territories and national Native Women’s Association and with the Northwest Territories and federal and provincial Status of Women councils. The senior advisor will also have the added benefit of working alongside experienced colleagues who are engaged in intergovernmental meeting preparation and planning.

The decision to transfer the Aboriginal consultation unit was made to better align with the department’s expertise in the area of Aboriginal rights and to coordinate the Government of the Northwest Territories duty to consult efforts with its cooperation and partnership-building efforts with Aboriginal governments. Although undeniably rooted in law, fulfilling the duty to consult is a key tool for building relationships between Aboriginal governments and the Government of the Northwest Territories.

That concludes my opening remarks. I look forward to the committee’s comments and questions.

Thank you, Premier McLeod. Premier McLeod, do you have witnesses that you’d like to bring into the House today?

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Sergeant-at-Arms, if you could please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.

Premier, if you could introduce your witnesses to the Chamber, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my right I have Martin Goldney, deputy minister of the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations; and on my left I have Richard Robertson, director of policy, planning and management. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Mr. Robertson, Mr. Goldney, welcome back to the House. Committee, we’re going to open up to general comments.

I’m hearing detail. Committee, 4.7 is the department summary. We’ll skip over that and we’ll return to that after consideration of the department’s activities.

Turning your attention to 4-8, information item, infrastructure investment summary. Any questions?

Seeing none, 4-10, information item, active position summary. Any questions? Mr. Menicoche.