Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess what I'm getting at, there's a growing infrastructure need for power generation. Our rates continue to go up. Our rate base is not increasing, given our low amount of population. Is this government going to prioritize power generation, and starting with the Taltson expansion. We know they've gone to Ottawa. We know they've had those discussions with our federal counterparts. Have we made any progress on that, and is the Minister prepared to announce a Taltson expansion deal by the end of this Assembly? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I can advise that we have, of course, as the Member opposite mentioned, engaged with the federal government. Also, there have been preliminary discussions with officials in the Province of Saskatchewan. We are waiting for the federal infrastructure budget to see if we can access those funds for major development.

Time for oral questions has expired. Before I move on to written questions, colleagues, since our last sitting day, I have had time to reflect on the written questions filed on Thursday, February 9. Before I proceed with the written questions, I would like to take a moment to remind all Members to use this item appropriately.

According to Rule 44(1), written questions should be reserved for those questions "which would be likely to require a detailed or complex answer, or which would not reasonably be assumed to be within the present knowledge of the Minister." To quote former speaker Paul Delorey, "Written questions are not intended to be an indirect way of extending oral question period."

On one hand, to interpret this rule too stringently may have the undesired effect of curtailing full and open debate in this House and limiting the information available to Members. On the other hand, to interpret this rule too loosely may lead to the misuse of the privileges enjoyed by Members.

Colleagues, if you have any uncertainty about potential written questions, or other items, please do not hesitate to discuss the matter with either myself or my staff. As your Speaker, it is my duty to ensure that all written questions conform to the rules and practices of the House.

I will allow the written questions filed on Thursday, February 9, to stand, as I believe it is important for Members of this House to have the ability to seek important information from this government.

I remind all Members in these Chambers to pay close attention to the form and content of their written questions in the future. Masi.

Item 9, written questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Human Resources.

Can the Minister provide the latest available information on the status of public services staffing, specifically the number of full-time indeterminate positions vacant each month to date in the 2016-17 fiscal year by department or agency? And:

1. The number of active staffing actions to fill vacant indeterminate positions in each of these months;

2. The total number of hours and costs of overtime paid during each of these months;

3. The total number of hours and costs of overtime paid during each of these months in positions where backfill is required owing to the positions providing essential services, for example, nursing, corrections, highways maintenance; and

4. The total number of sick days for essential service positions referenced in question number three above.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Written questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment regarding funding for the implementation of junior kindergarten. The Minister has said that junior kindergarten will be fully funded, yet there are additional costs the government has not yet agreed to pay. Will the Minister provide an analysis of the additional funds schools will require to cover the cost of inclusive schooling for all grades starting with junior kindergarten? And:

1. Provide an analysis of the additional funding schools will require to cover the cost of busing children as young as three years eight months who need seat belts and extra adult supervision;

2. Provide an analysis of how implementation of junior kindergarten will accommodate existing programs that serve four-year-olds without jeopardizing the financial viability of those programs; and finally

3. Provide an analysis on assigning a subsidy to each four-year-old -- equivalent to the cost of fully funding junior kindergarten on a per-child basis -- for parents to spend on the program of their choice and a rationale for rejecting this option.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Written questions. Item 10, returns to written questions. Item 11, replies to Commissioner's opening address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of committee on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to table a document from Grand Chief Herb Norwegian with regard to post-secondary cuts to the Education and Social Work programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to table a document from the Government to the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation: "Renewing the Comprehensive Land Claims Policy: Towards a Framework for Addressing Section 35 Aboriginal Rights."

As well, a "Statement of Principles on the Federal Approach to Modern Treaty Implementation." Modern Treaties are a key component of Canadian nation building. Also, "Cabinet Direction on the Federal Approach to Modern Treaty Implementation Roles and Responsibilities."

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration of Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Bill 7, Bill 13, Committee Report 6-18(2), Tabled Document 261-18(2) with Member for Hay River North in the chair.

I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 216-18(2), NWT Main Estimates 2017-2018 with the Department of Health and Social Services. Mr. Chairman, if we are to conclude the Department of Health and Social Services, we would like to get the Minister's comments on Industry, Tourism and Investment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Does committee agree?

We will take a short recess and begin with consideration of the document after. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

I will now call the Committee of the Whole back to order. We will continue with our consideration of Tabled Document 261-18(2), Main Estimates, 2017-2018. Minister, would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?

Yes, please, Mr. Chair.

Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister, would you please introduce your witnesses to committee.

Thank you, Minister. Welcome to the witnesses. Committee, we left off on activity, community social programs, on pages 172 to 174. We will consider the entire activity at once. Please indicate which page you are referring to when you bring up a line item or have a question about something in particular so that the Minister and committee can find it easily. Do we have any comments or questions on community social programs, pages 172 to 174? Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to talk a bit about Child and Family Services. I had an opportunity to listen to some of the presentations, of course, delivered by the Minister and staff and wanted to get something on the record. I am trying to determine how the system -- by "system" I mean the department -- sees a correlation between child apprehension, foster care, and poverty. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there are a multitude of reasons that a family might find themselves in difficulty, where they either need to enter into a voluntary service agreement or, in worst case scenario, there are abuse issues and the child needs to be apprehended. In many cases, it may be as a result of struggles the parents are having around addiction issues or other issues. Often we find, but don't have a correlation, that often people are in situations of neglect or abuse. Many of them are faced with poverty. It is an issue that we obviously try to address here in the Government of the Northwest Territories with things like income support.

I think one of the important things to recognize with Building Stronger Families, what we are trying to do is provide support to families when they are having difficulties. We recently opened a pilot up in Behchoko where, if a family is in a public housing unit and they are having difficulty paying their rent, traditionally they probably would have been evicted, which means they would have probably been in a situation of child apprehension or family services would have had to engage. We are working with those families now, and in some cases helping them with their rent, to avoid having a situation where they have to move out and then we would be in a situation where a voluntary separation or apprehension might be necessary. We are trying to address the poverty issue to some degree, but certainly poverty is far broader than child and family services. Thank you, Mr. Chair.