Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm here to present Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2017-2018. This document provides for an increase of $2.4 million to the capital budget.

These supplementary estimates include $1.5 million for the purchase of four portables for St. Joseph School in Yellowknife, and $900,000 towards a construction of a new fish plant in Hay River. This expenditure will be fully offset by revenue from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.

That concludes my opening remarks, Mr. Chair. I am prepared to respond to committee's questions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. We have agreed to begin with general comments. Does the Minister of Finance wish to bring witnesses into the House?

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, to my right I have Mr. David Stewart, who is the deputy minister, Department of Finance. To my left, I have Ms. Sandy Kalgutkar, deputy secretary to the FMB.

Thank you, Minister. I will now open the floor for general comments. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to speak to, it's not a question, it's just a comment. I support these supplementary estimates or the requested appropriation, in particular, the $1.5 million for the purchase of four portables at St. Joseph School. That school is in my riding. It's the largest elementary school in the Northwest Territories. I have risen in this House before to speak about the space needs of the school. This is something that this school district was looking to bring forward, so I'm very pleased that the government is providing assistance to the School District of Yellowknife Catholic Schools in the purchase of these portables and that we are going to take some of the pressure off the space needs at Ecole St. Joseph.

I hope that, moving forward, we continue to support our partners in the educational system similarly because, when we change our policies and programs and put demands on the schools, we need to do our best to offset those demands and effectively support education across all levels in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister McLeod, do you wish to comment?

No need to, Mr. Chair. I just thank the Member for his comments. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Next, we have Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as the Minister may have heard me say today in my statement, one of the unintended, I think, unintended costs of the introduction of junior kindergarten was the necessity to provide these portables. If junior kindergarten had not been introduced last fall, would the school still have needed the portables? I wonder if the Minister can answer that. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding is that the school was getting close to their capacity; if not this year, I think these would have been required soon, or these would have been required eventually.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Ms. Green.

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister McLeod. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I just want to be clear that I do support these two items that are in the supplementary appropriation, but I'm wondering if one of the witnesses can tell us what the position is of the supplementary reserve for infrastructure. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So given that the supplementary reserve, then, is in a deficit position, how does that show up as debt in our accounts? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

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