Masi. Oral questions. Item 8, written question. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to Commissioner's opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Northwest Territories Agricultural Strategy - The Business of Food: A Food Production Plan 2017-2022." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents entitled "Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2016-2017," "Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2016-2017," and "Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2017-2018." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 577-18(2): Prescription Drug Monitoring Program." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tabling of documents. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table the following document, a November 23, 2016 letter from participants in the Smart Prosperity Canada Initiative, in which corporate officers of 16 major Canadian firms and organizations called upon the Prime Minister to introduce carbon pricing. Thank you.

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 in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act; Bill 13, Marriage Act; Committee Report 6-18(2), Report on the Review of Bill 7: An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act; Committee Report 7-18(2), Report on the Review of the Members’ Conduct Guidelines; Tabled Document 261-18(2), Northwest Territories Main Estimates, 2017-2018, with the Member for Hay River North in the chair.

I will 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 continue considering Tabled Document 261-18(2), Northwest Territories Main Estimates, 2017-2018 with the Speaker for the Legislative Assembly. Also, Mr. Chairman, the committee wishes to return to all of the departments that were deferred during our main estimates review. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. We will consider the document after a recess.

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I will now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Assembly begins on page 1 of the main estimates document. As always, I will turn to Mr. Speaker for any opening comments. Mr. Speaker.

Masi, Mr. Chair. These are 2017-2018 Estimates for the Legislative Assembly. The Assembly is seeking out operating expenditures for corporations of $19,336,000 for 2017-18. This represents a zero per cent change from 2016-2017 Main Estimates. There was a 4.8 per cent decrease from actual expenditures in the 2015-16 fiscal year. Although we are proposing no change in the level of funding for our 2017-18 budget, there are a number of significant initiatives that our Legislative Assembly is planning to undertake.

In the upcoming fiscal year, the Legislative Assembly will establish an independent commission. This is a very important undertaking, as this commission will review Members’ benefits and allowances to determine the adequacy and appropriateness of how Members are compensated. It also supports our objectives of transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility. We will also be providing funding to some independent offices, such as the Human Rights Commission, so they can continue their important work of representing and advocating for the rights of our citizens.

Additionally, we are injecting high, much-needed funding into improving our communications. It is critical that this Legislative Assembly keep pace with technology in order to effectively reach all peoples of the Northwest Territories, regardless of where they reside or how they connect with the Legislative Assembly. This will require having in-house technical expertise to oversee and manage the various systems that we rely on to communicate, and upgrading or replacing these systems as needed.

In order to go forward with these initiatives in the upcoming fiscal year, we are proposing $44,000 in reductions, and sunsets of $550,000 to offset these costs. As I did in the last budget, I can once again assure Members that these estimates support our Legislative Assembly’s goals of achieving operational efficiency and limiting expenditures’ growth in order to support the fiscal objectives of our government.

In closing, I want to thank all the Members, my colleagues on the Board of Management, and the Assembly staff for the contributions, efforts, and working towards these main estimates, and to continue efficient operations and delivery of quality services for the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Chair, this concludes my opening remarks. I am pleased to respond to any questions the Members may have.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Do you have witnesses you would like to bring into the Chamber? Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Mr. Speaker, if would you please introduce your witnesses to the committee.

Masi. To my right, I have Tim Mercer, clerk of the Legislative Assembly. To my left, Darrin Ouellette, director of corporate services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will begin with opening comments. Do we have any general comments from committee? Seeing none, we will proceed to consider the activities before the full department. The first activity can be found on page 9, expenditures on behalf of Members. Do you have comments or questions on this activity found on pages 8 and 9? Seeing none, I will call this activity. Legislative Assembly, expenditures on behalf of Members, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $8,379,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Moving on to activity 2 of 5, office of the Chief Electoral Officer, $641,000. This is found on pages 10 to 12. Do you have comments or questions? Seeing none, I will call this activity. Legislative Assembly, office of the Chief Electoral Officer, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $641,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Moving on to office of the clerk, activity 3 of 5. This is on pages 13 to 15. Do you have comments or questions on the office of the clerk? Seeing none, I will call this activity. Legislative Assembly, office of the clerk, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $7,906,000. Does committee agree?