Mr. Blake.

Nice try.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the Minister's opening comments, he highlighted some concerns about the Community Access Program under the department. I don't see any funds allocated. I know the department feels, or the Minister feels, that there's no projects going ahead in the first three months, but there are actually projects that communities want to do. A number of the communities don't have the funds available to take care of these costs. To take on a project for $60,000 or $80,000 and bear the cost over the first three months, it's challenging for communities. The majority of our small communities throughout the Territories depend on this Community Access Program, and we want to ensure that this funding is available for small communities. It creates a lot of small, short-term employment for a lot of our constituents throughout the territory and I just want to ensure that we have funding available to create those employment opportunities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Minister McLeod, would you like to respond?

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, with respect to Department of Transportation to ensure financial and technical assistance can be provided to rural and remote communities for any planned construction and maintenance of community access roads during the interim period, $250,000 will be transferred from the $14.744 million allocated for the Highways Division to the Community Access Program. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That sounds great. It brings me to my next question. Is that extra? Three months down the road when we do our budget, are we still going to get the other million as well? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Minister McLeod.

As Mr. Blake would say, nice try.

---Laughter

No, this is just an interim appropriation. We still have the business planning process to go through and then we will work with committee, get feedback from committee, as we develop our main estimates that will be tabled in May/June. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Blake.

Thank you, and thank you to the department to make that change there and we look forward to the first three months. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Further comments or questions? Seeing none, we will continue with the review. Department: Transportation. Appropriation authority required $26,717.00.

Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Finance Minister provide us with a list of the amortization of the $20.42 million that's been allocated? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We can provide that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Thank you. Seeing no further comments, we will continue. Government of Northwest Territories 2016-2017 interim estimates, operations expenditures. Total operations expenditures appropriation. Appropriation authority required, $518,478,000.

Does committee agree that the consideration of Tabled Document 2-18(2), Interim Estimates, 2016-2017 is concluded?

Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that consideration for Tabled Document 2-18(2), Interim Estimates, 2016-2017 now be concluded and that the Tabled Document 2-18(2) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. A motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.