Marsi cho, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, committee would like to consider Tabled Document 140-18(3), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2018-2019. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. We have agreed to consider Tabled Document 140-18(3). Does the Minister of Finance have any opening remarks? Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am here to present Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2018-2019. This document provides for an increase of $1.1 million to the operations budget. These supplementary estimates include:

• $200,000 for funding for the NWT Arts Council;

• $300,000 to establish two new government service officer positions in Jean Marie River and Sambaa K'e; and

• $578,000 to establish two new land specialist positions to address equity lease issues over the next three years.

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

Thank you, Minister. Do you wish to bring witnesses into the chamber?

I would, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you.

Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister, would you please introduce your witness for the record.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have with me today Mr. David Stewart, who is the deputy minister of the Department of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister just confirm if this is ongoing funding or a single one-time appropriation? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is ongoing.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the Minister for that clarification. I think this is, again, something that we heard very loudly from the arts community. I am really pleased that the Minister has brought this forward, happy to support it, and I am happy even more so that it is ongoing funding. Hopefully, we can get a few more dollars next business plan. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Anything further from committee? Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures) No. 1, 2018-2019, Education, Culture and Employment, operations expenditures, culture, heritage, and languages, not previously authorized, $200,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Education, Culture and Employment, operations expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $200,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Please turn to page 5. Supplementary Estimates, (Operations Expenditures) No. 1, 2018-2019, Executive and Indigenous Affairs, operations expenditures, directorate, not previously authorized, $300,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Executive and Indigenous Affairs, operations expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $300,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Please continue to page 6. Supplementary Estimates, (Operations Expenditures) No. 1, 2018-2019, Lands, operations expenditures, operations, not previously authorized, $578,000. Does committee agree? Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Can someone just explain what this funding is for? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this money is for additional positions to -- I've got to get my glasses on here -- establish two new positions to address equity leases over the next three years. That is in addition to the three positions that were already there. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister or his staff tell us where these three positions are going to be located? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In addition to the previous three that I have just spoken to plus the two that we are adding now, there are going to be two in Fort Smith, one in Inuvik, one in Fort Simpson, and one in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think the three that were in the 2018-2019 budget itself, they were going to be located in Fort Smith. Is that correct? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. It was initially three, but two are going into Fort Smith, one in Inuvik, one in Fort Simpson, and one in Yellowknife. That gives us the five positions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Now I am more confused than ever. How many positions are there going to be created as a result of the supplementary appropriation and what's in the 2018-2019 budget already? How many total positions, and where are they all going to be located? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the supplementary appropriation will add two new positions in addition to the three that were identified in the main budget document. I believe, in the main budget document, the three that were identified were actually going to go to Fort Smith, but after having some discussions with committee, we determined that we will add two new positions, recognizing that there are a number of leases that need to be taken care of. That would have brought the total to five, and we decided that two would go in Fort Smith, one would go in Inuvik, one in Fort Simpson, and one in Yellowknife; so two new positions as a result of this supplementary appropriation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Some information was provided to committee in terms of where the outstanding equity leases were located. The most equity leases are actually found in Fort Providence at 58. There are only six in Fort Smith. Has there been any consideration given to having one of these positions located in Fort Providence where most of the equity leases are located? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there are a couple of factors. I mean, I take the Member's point. I have seen the numbers. We would have to look at the availability of office space and being able to set up in the community.

I don't know if the final decision has been made yet. I suppose the Department of Lands would have to look at all of the information that is provided and then make a final decision as to whether it's going to be in Fort Simpson or Fort Providence. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. The Minister of Lands has indicated that he would like to speak to this. Minister Sebert.

Yes. After the initial discussions, Mr. Chair, with respect to this matter, we went from three to five positions, as there was an interest to resolve this matter faster. We will have to make the allocation of positions dependent, of course, on office space and some other considerations. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you for that, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think that one way to get this done faster is to actually probably move one of those positions from Fort Smith and put it in Fort Providence, where most of the equity leases are located.

I will just make that recommendation to my friend, the Minister of Lands, and to my colleague, the Minister of Finance. If they would like to respond, I would be happy to hear it, but that would be my recommendation. If you want to deal with this faster, put the bodies where the problems are. Not that there are problems with Fort Providence, but there is an outstanding number of equity leases there that is the highest number of any of the communities. Put the person there so that they can resolve it faster. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Do you wish to respond, any Minister? Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and recommendation noted.

Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures) No. 1, 2018-2019. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wanted to speak on this matter here. The idea, I am trying to create two positions to address the equity of these issues, and just to try and move forward on the matter. There has been at least an assessment of whether indeed the position could be realized for the community of Fort Providence. I understand that there had been an indication of just the current office space that houses the current employees, GNWT employees at Sun Centre, and I understand there is available office space that could be quickly mobilized to at least create a position in the community. I am just seeking whether a decision has been formalized and this is a go forward, or would a small community, once again, maybe realize some benefits at least from most of the government positions being in headquarters or else regional centres, but at least for a small community to be considered to receive positions such as this so that you have actually feet on the ground to at least get an understanding of the issue and to try and move forward? Mahsi.

Thank you. Minister McLeod.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, again, I am not sure if the decision has been finalized. What I do know is we brought forward a supplementary appropriation after discussions and the committee recognizing the need to get more bodies on the ground to deal with equity leases. As far as the actual physical location, I am not sure if that has been finalized. I will have a discussion again with my colleague, the Minister of Lands. If there are opportunities, again, we said before, and I think the Minister said it as well, that there are a number of factors they look at. Of course, this government wants to see a lot of positions go to small communities, but there has to be a fit there as well. We will explore that, and we will have a discussion with committee.

Thank you, Minister. Would anyone else like to chime in? Mr. Nadli. Nothing further from Mr. Nadli.

Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2018-2019, Lands, operations expenditures, operations not previously authorized, $578,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Lands, operations expenditures, total department not previously authorized $578,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Do you agree that we have concluded our consideration of Tabled Document 140-18(3), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2018-2019?

Thank you, committee. Thank you to the Minister and your witness for appearing before us. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witness from the Chamber. Mr. Testart.