Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this program is not for what the Minister thinks it is for. We know. We negotiated this. We know exactly why we negotiated this. We negotiated this money, $3 million, and we asked for a lot more than that. We dealt with the Minister of Finance, and we negotiated this money to address the low employment rates in small communities.

I have asked the Minister now 16 questions. I am trying to find out what happened. How did this shift occur? All the Minister is telling me is that there is an economic downturn, we are trying to help this; this is very clear. We are trying to address low employment rates in the small communities. Why did the Minister make the decision to take money out of small communities to try to address something else that was not what the money was intended for? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, the focus on the Small Community Employment Support Program is around employment and training development. We know what it is for, and that is why we worked with committee and Members to enhance that program. We want to see success in this program. That is why we made some enhancements. I will go back to the department and get some more clarity for the Member on some of these policy decisions that were made, and I will get back to the Member on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, because it has been a while, I have some questions for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Mr. Speaker, in my last line of questioning to the Minister, I revisited the matter with regard to the generators that are being built out of California. The Minister indicated that we are still unsure whether we are getting them or potentially pursuing some legal action. Can the Minister today report in the House any more clarity? Are we in fact going to be receiving these generators at some point in time, or is that dead and gone and are we pursuing legal action? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have any new news with respect to this matter. Of course, as I did mention in the House previously, we are hoping we will get at least some of these generators. There is also always the possibility, I suppose, of litigation in California, but that may not lead to any great success because you are probably going to be dealing, should it come to that, with issues surrounding creditors' rights and so on. I will certainly give this House an update as soon as I have heard anything further. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think we need to ask ourselves: when are we going to actually cut this loose? When are we going to stop costing ratepayers and taxpayers more and more money every day on this particular boondoggle that has obviously gone off the rails? What are the next steps? Can the Minister tell us what the next steps are going to be? We have to make a decision. Maybe we have to get another RFP out and start getting generators built and get them here soon. We are using backup generators in the meantime that are costing us daily. Can the Minister tell us when we are going to draw the line and put out an RFP and get some new generators built?

As this House knows, we have invested a considerable amount of money in this project. We do not want to cut that loose unless there appears to be no hope at all of getting these generators. If, however, it does come to that, we will have to go out for an RFP because we do need these generators.

My final question is: we have been incurring costs daily, notwithstanding the costs that we are potentially losing as it relates to the deposit that we put down on these generators and the generators themselves that we may never see. We have got a lot of equipment that is in place that is being used as backup equipment in the meantime. The last number that the Minister shared with us, I think back in March, was somewhere in the neighbourhood of about $500,000 at that point. I am afraid to ask what that number is today, but I would like to know: who is going to be paying for that, then? If this generator contract goes off the rails, who will be paying for those costs that have been incurred today that that proponent, Virdi Power, was supposed to pay?

Clearly, Virdi Power would be responsible for these costs if they have breached the contract. However, realistically speaking, it may be that that is not a likely option to recover our money. It may be, unfortunately, that, should we not receive the generators, we may simply have to write off this money.

Masi. The time for oral questions has expired. 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 two documents entitled "Tabled Document 456-18(2), NWT Oil and Gas Annual Report 2016" and "Tabled Document 457-18(2), Northwest Territories Geological Survey Strategic Plan 2017-2022." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to table the report "Everyone is Home – Yellowknife's 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness." Mahsi, 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 in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Committee Report 12-18(2), Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning Report on the Progress Review of the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019; Minister's Statement 186-18(2), Update on the A New Day Program; Tabled Document 416-18(2), Capital Estimates, 2018-2019; Tabled Document 419-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019 (Revised), 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.

Marsi cho, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee would like to consider Tabled Document 416-18(2), Capital Estimates, 2018-2019, concluding the Department of Health and Social Services and going on to the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, the Department of Finance, and the Department of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Does committee agree?

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

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I will now call Committee of the Whole back to order. We have agreed to continue our consideration of the Department of Health and Social Services in the Capital Estimates, 2018-2019. I will invite the Minister to invite any witnesses he has into the Chamber. Minister Abernethy, would you like to invite witnesses into the Chamber?

Yes, please.

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