Masi. Tabling of documents. Further to the statutory tabling pursuant to Section 266(2) of the Elections and Plebiscites Act of "Modernizing Election Administration in the Northwest Territories - CEO Report on the Administration of the 2015 Territorial General Election," I wish to table a document entitled "Modernizing Election Administration in the Northwest Territories - Supplementary Recommendations." 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. Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 28, Interpretation Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. The motion is in order. All those in favour. All those opposed. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 28 has had its first reading. First Reading of Bills. Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Hay River South, that, Bill 29, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. The motion is in order. All those in favour. All those opposed. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 29 has had its first reading. First Reading of Bills. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Section 77(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Counsel Act, I wish to advise the House that I have a conflict of interest in Bill 30, Health Statutes Law Amendment Act. This bill amends the Public Health Act to clarify that the Commissioner may make regulations respecting cremation and crematoria.

Mr. Speaker, my spouse is a funeral planner and, as such, has a private interest in this bill. I will excuse myself from the Chamber during consideration of this matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Duly noted. Masi. Just for the record, Member for Yellowknife Centre has left the Chamber due to conflict of interest on the next bill, Bill 30. First reading of bills. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 30, Health Statutes Amendment Act (Cremation Services), be read for the first time. Merci, Monsieur le President.

The motion is in order. All those in favour. All those opposed. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 30 has had its first reading. Masi. Just for the record, Member for Yellowknife Centre is back in the Chamber. Masi.

Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters. Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Tobacco Tax Act; Bill 26, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, No. 2; Committee Report 11-18(2), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on the Review of Standing Committee Public Engagement and Transparency; Minister's Statement 186-18(2), Update on the A New Day Program; Tabled Document 383-18(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2017-2018; Tabled Document 384-18(2) Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2017-2018, with the Member for Hay River North in the Chair.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Committee would like to consider the following matters. Tabled Document 383-18(2), Supplementary Estimates, (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2017-2018; Tabled Document 384-18(2), Supplementary Estimates, (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2017-2018; Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Tobacco Tax Act; Bill 26, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, No. 2. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. First, a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

I will now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 383-18(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2017-2018. Does the Minister of Finance have any opening remarks? Minister McLeod.

Yes, Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I do.

One moment. Minister McLeod, Please proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair I am here to present Supplementary Estimates, (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2017-2018. This document provides for an increase of $10.6 million to the operations budget.

Major items in these supplementary estimates include:

● $4.4 million for the New Canada-NWT Agreement for French and Aboriginal Languages. These costs are fully offset by revenues from the Government of Canada.

● $1.4 million for the Great Slave Lake Commercial Fishery Revitalization initiative.

● $1.2 million for the runway surface repairs at the Inuvik airport. An offsetting amount was lapsed in 2016-2017.

Also included in these supplementary estimates is funding, totalling $2.7 million, for the operating costs of the new AT802 Fire Boss aircraft. It is anticipated that these costs will be fully offset, on a one-time basis, with the proceeds from the sale of the CL-215 aircraft and their associated parts. That concludes my opening remarks, Mr. Chair. I am prepared to respond to the committee's questions.

Thank you, Minister. Do you have witnesses you wish to bring to the House?

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Would the Minister please introduce his witnesses.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have with me to my right Mr. David Stewart, who is the deputy minister of the Department of Finance. To my left, I have Mr. Sandy Kalgutkar, deputy secretary to the Financial Management Board. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. I will open the floor to any opening comments, general comments on the operation supplemental estimates. Do we have any general comments from committee? Seeing none, we can move right into it. Committee, please turn to page 4. We will begin with Education, Culture and Employment. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2017-2018. Education, Culture and Employment, operations expenditures, education and culture, not previously authorized, $4,408,000. Does committee agree?