Thank you to the Minister for his reply. I recognize and we all recognize that the North is unique in this situation. Yes, we are 44,000 people, but we are on a land mass that is about the size of western Canada, and we lack the infrastructure that western Canada has. I mean, $1.2 billion is well-appreciated, most certainly, but it's a drop in the hat as it relates to recognizing the challenges that we have here.

Is there anything further that the Minister can inform us on as it relates to the opportunity to revisit the financing formula arrangement?

Can we bring the Feds to the table and have a serious discussion about re-evaluating and potentially fixing this formula so that we are not penalized when we generate our own revenues?

In my discussions with my colleagues from across the country when we have our FTPs, I always say, if you want to allocate money based on land, we will go for that, because, at 1.3 million square kilometres, we'll be in pretty good shape. I think they recognize some of the challenges we face. That is why our average per capita in Territorial Formula Financing is way higher than the rest of the country.

As I said, the deal will expire in 2019. The legislation that is governing this, the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Acts and Territorial Formula Financing, expires in April of 2019, and then we will have an opportunity to have discussions with them. Any time we can use that opportunity to try to get more money for the Northwest Territories, obviously, we will take advantage of that.

I am pleased to hear that the Minister of Finance is having these discussions and that there might be potential to revisit this in 2019. In the meantime, one thing that we are undertaking right now is the federal government is in the midst of undergoing their Arctic Policy Framework. We are going to be making a contribution to that. Right now, it's the Pan-Territorial Vision for Sustainable and Economic Development. This includes our sister territories.

Does the Minister see an opportunity at those discussions and in building that framework where we can maybe promote all three territories to have some sort of special economic zone that would consist of certain tax reliefs and commitment to infrastructure dollars that would benefit us before we sit back down to discuss finance formula?

As Members are aware, at the beginning of the 18th Legislative Assembly, I think even before we sat in this Chamber, the first news we got was our formula financing grant from Canada was cut by $34 million, so we were behind the 8-ball right off the bat. We will take every opportunity, as I have said before, to work with the federal government to see about accessing more funds for the Northwest Territories. They do recognize the cost of doing business up here is higher than the rest of the country. They've made significant infrastructure investments into the Northwest Territories, which in turn has put a lot of people to work, which in turn has allowed them to pay payroll tax, purchase goods, pay all the other taxes that we put on residents who are working. So there has been a side benefit from that, but they do recognize that we are challenged up here, and through a lot of the infrastructure money we welcome that investment and we'll continue to seek more.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that we know is coming is a carbon tax, again imposed by the federal government. We are doing what we can to, I guess, develop our made-in-the-North version, because it's going to be imposed on us. So, Mr. Speaker, the Minister has referenced a few times that there are ongoing discussion with the federal government, that we are somehow going to get special consideration as it relates to the carbon tax. Can the Minister inform us, update us as to what those special considerations might be, and when will we know exactly how the federal government is going to treat us with regard to carbon tax? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are still going through the process right now, but as Members in this House are aware, the Prime Minister has made a commitment to our Premier about recognizing the uniqueness of the North. I have assurances from the Minister of the Environment that they recognize the unique situation of the North. The Member is absolutely correct. We want to put a product together that is made in the North. I think we've given some numbers to the committee; if we use the federal backstop, then what residents would have to pay would be a lot higher than if we implement our own made-in-the-North approach to it. Our plan is to use our made-in-the-North approach to it because we live up here, right. We know what we are paying up here, and so we are the ones who should be deciding what's best for the Northwest Territories, not somebody who is thousands of kilometres away. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Item 8, written questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question for the Minister of Justice. Can the Minister of Justice please advise this House on the following?

1. The number of land transfers per year by community in the Northwest Territories over the past 10 years for which data is available; and

2. The dollar value of transferred lands per year by community in the Northwest Territories over the past 10 years for which data is available.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Written questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister Responsible for the Housing Corporation. Her report on reducing core housing need, called "Towards Level Ground: Addressing Persistent Core Need in the Northwest Territories," includes an action plan with spending of $20 million in the next fiscal year, yet the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation operations and maintenance budget is decreasing this year. What is the source of the $20 million required by the plan, and further:

1. How did the Minister decide to allocate spending among the 15 programs listed in the plan;

2. How do the commitments in the plan relate to each of the specific areas of core need;

3. How will the action plan spending be allocated among regions; and

4. On what basis did the Minister decide to budget $600,000 to address affordability problems as the element of core need most prevalent in Yellowknife?

Mahsi.

Masi. Written questions. 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 Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Yellowknife Airport Five-Year Business Plan 2018-2019 to 2022-2023." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Waste Reduction and Recovery Program 2016-2017 Annual Report." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I wish to table the following document entitled "Pharmacare: A Plan for Everyone" by the Canadian Labour Congress. 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: Minister's Statement 1-18(3), North Slave Correctional Complex Inmate Concerns; Minister's Statement 19-18(3), Aurora College Foundational Review Process; Minister's Statement 32-18(3), Update on the Northwest Territories Disability Framework and Action Plan; Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019, 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. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the committee would like to consider Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019, with the Department of Finance as the department under consideration. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Does committee agree?

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

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I will now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019, for the Department of Finance, which begins at page 135. I will turn to the Minister responsible for any opening comments. Minister McLeod.