Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thanks for that clarification. I guess my concern and point is that those individuals now have to serve more people. There are more people. It's an amalgamated department, so their efforts are going to have to be spread over a greater number of initiatives and so on. I suspect some of that includes support for negotiations. Is that the case? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Courtoreille.

Thank you, Mr. Courtoreille. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Well, I still remain concerned that we've got the smaller group of people serving maybe four departments, or what used to be four departments, now, and I think this is probably going to take away some focus and support for negotiations at the end of the day. I would be curious to hear whether anybody has anything further to add to that? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Courtoreille.

Thank you, Mr. Courtoreille. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think I understand it a little better. So all of those people coming together to serve what used to be four departments, were positions cut within some of the other departments that they used to serve or were they all direct staff transfers into this shared corporate services unit? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We're dealing with the Department of Indigenous Affairs, and the four people who went over were all staff. We feel that we will get better service; we will get better advice, because with a very small unit there are days when people are sick or people are on vacation and have nobody to cover. With the corporate services section, we will have more service, better service, and there will always be somebody there to provide us with that service. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier. Anything further? Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'll try one more time. So in forming this corporate services unit that's now going to serve what used to be four departments, now two, all of those people who used to be in their individual departments, were there any positions cut in forming this shared corporate services unit? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Courtoreille.

Thank you, Mr. Courtoreille. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks. I appreciate the response and I'll just go on record again as having some concerns about the loss of capacity for this important work, and I think it may affect our capacity and ability to continue to negotiate. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Would the Premier like to respond?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I can reassure the Member that we believe that our services will be enhanced and the advice will improve to allow us to go forward and fulfil our priorities for this department. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier. Seeing nothing further from committee, I will call this department. Executive and Indigenous Affairs, total department, $19,194,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. We have concluded consideration of Executive and Indigenous Affairs. I want to thank the Premier and the witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, you may escort the witnesses from the Chamber.

Committee, we have next agreed to consider the Department of Finance. The department begins on page 123 of the document. As always, I will turn to the Minister responsible for opening comments. Minister of Finance, do you have any opening comments for committee?

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

Mr. Chair, I am presenting the 2017-2018 Main Estimates for the Department of Finance. The proposed estimates for the department reflect the amalgamation of the Department of Finance and the Department of Human Resources.

These estimates total $235.7 million, which includes the GNWT's operating contributions of $74.9 million to the NWT Housing Corporation. Overall, the department’s estimates propose a decrease of approximately $3 million or 1.3 per cent when compared to the restated 2016-2017 Main Estimates for the Departments of Finance and Human Resources.

Highlights of the department’s proposed 2017-2018 Main Estimates are as follows:

• They include $20.0 million in strategic initiatives. This is primarily for the operations of the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link Project, including the service payment and land access fees and for costs associated with the interim services agreement while the project is being completed.

• A total of $6 million of the strategic initiative funding is for NWT Housing Corporation activities.

• There is $557,000 in proposed forced growth. This is largely related to increases in the Cost of Living Tax Credit and interest expense related to long-term debt. A small amount of forced growth is related to the contribution to the NWT Housing Corporation.

The budget reflects transfers of $1.9 million. This is to implement the changes to the NWT Child Benefit and for the creation of the Shared Corporate Services Unit. These estimates also include increased amortization costs of $2.8 million.

The department’s budget reflects sunsets totalling $22.9 million. The Finance portion of this is $11.6 million and is mainly related to funds provided to the NWT Power Corporation to offset the costs related to low water and for costs associated with the development and construction of the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link Project. The NWT Housing Corporation portion of the sunsets is $11.3 million.

Finally, the main estimates for 2017-18 reflect reductions totalling $4.1 million. This is primarily related to reduced travel, contracts and other O and M, and with savings associated with the amalgamation of Human Resources and Finance. A portion of these reductions also reflect the final budgetary impacts of the 2016-17 reductions. A total of $1.4 million of the reductions relate to the NWT Housing Corporation.

In conclusion, I would also like to highlight that page 129 of the 2017-2018 Main Estimates outlines the borrowing plan for the government. This plan proposes to establish a total borrowing limit for the GNWT of $771 million, which is comprised of the following:

• Short-term debt $370 million

• Long-term debt $400 million

• Capital Leases $1.45 million

The limits proposed in the borrowing plan will be included in the Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), 2017-2018.

That concludes my opening remarks, Mr. Chair. Thank you

Thank you, Minister. Do you have witnesses you would like to bring into the Chamber?