Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the Minister putting that on the record that is his priority and for the department, his work on the Slave Geological Province road over the Frank Channel bridge. I am glad that he put it on the record, because I don't think that should be the priority. The Minister even said public safety should be number one, so I really don't understand why the Minister is putting the Slave Geological Province Road as a priority over the Frank Channel bridge. That is what he said. You can check Hansard if we want, but I disagree with that priority and I don't think that is in the public interest. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Would the Minister care to retort?

Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Let's make it quite clear on the record. That is why we are sitting here today, discussing these things. This was based on an application for the National Trade Corridors Fund, the amount of $400 million that was carved out for the three northern territories. Based on that application, that is where my priority would be. It would be under the Slave Geological Province. It doesn't mean that the bridge is not a priority. This fund is just for the three northern territories with a carve-out, as I have said. There are only a certain amount of dollars left in there. The federal government has changed the rules around our application process and changed the cap on it, which we have done our two applications for this. If we are not successful to get the money for the Frank Channel bridge through that process, we will certainly be chasing other avenues through the federal government to replace this bridge. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Anything further from Mr. O'Reilly?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I am confused probably at the best of times, but now I am really confused with regard to what the priorities of the department and the Minister are. It seems like when it comes to applying for federal money, the Slave Geological Province road planning work is a priority over Frank Channel. Can the Minister tell us, with his own money, with the department's own money, what is the priority? Is it replacing the Frank Channel bridge or is it doing the planning work for Slave Geological Province Road? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If we are going to sit here and play on words, let's make it quite clear. I have been mandated to access funding for the Slave Geological Province road. That is a part of my mandate commitment. It is in the mandate agreed by all Members in this House. We are out there clearly trying to get funding for the Slave Geological Province, and Frank Channel bridge is clearly part of the application for the Slave Geological Province. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Final brief word, Mr. O'Reilly?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. The Minister well knows my views on this, that the mandate is so broad you could drive trucks through it. Here is a clear example of the Minister driving some trucks through the mandate. Look, if the priority is public safety, and I believe it should be, the Minister and his department should be working at replacing the Frank Channel bridge. The Slave Geological Province road should wait. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Any further comments from the committee on the $75-million activity? Nothing further from the committee. I will call this activity. Infrastructure, asset management, operations expenditure summary, activity total, $75,890,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Please turn to the next activity found on page 238 to 241, corporate management. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chair, over the review of both our capital budget and our business plans that set up for the main estimates, we have shared concerns a number of times with regard to carryovers of projects. The committee has been concerned over the amount of carryovers. In one particular year, I think last year, about almost half of the capital projects, the amount of the capital projects, ended up being carried over. The committee has made the recommendation that the department develops a better tracking system to lower the carryover amounts and to ensure that the money gets spent when it is supposed to. We know that this has a fairly impactful or has a large impact, especially on small communities as it relates to employment opportunities, so it is critical that we find ways to make sure that we are getting these funds out the door year after year.

I just want to ask the Minister: is the department developing any kind of mechanism to track carryovers and then, let's say, even substantiate them a little bit better in the budget process so that Members can have a better understanding and grasp on the impacts that carryovers have on the territory, I guess. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Guy.

Thank you. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you to the deputy minister for that detailed response. We noted during business plan reviews that there were a number of reasons for carry-overs. It seems as though the department has taken a lot of progressive and proactive steps in trying to overcome some of those challenges. There still are some challenges with regard to outside capacity outside of government, you know, in the form of contractors, et cetera. I am just wondering: although this, to some degree or a greater degree, is outside the department's abilities, have they been given any insight or do they have anything to offer as it relates to how we can work with communities and contractors to build capacity to help deliver on-the-ground projects for the territory? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. You know, that is an ongoing challenge right across the board. Let's take example we are trying to move forward with the Bear River Bridge. The Hamlet of Tulita, which is right there at the doorstep, we are working closely with everyone in that community. They have formed a Bear River Working Group Committee amongst all the user groups within the municipality, be it Indigenous groups or the municipal government, to try to be able to figure out a way to capitalize on this. Our department and our ADM is working closely with them.

One of the other things I think that we looked at and it came up in the House a couple times is around some of these projects and have a serious look at some of the ones that we can break out to utilize a little bit more local capacity instead of having these projects that are too large for some of these, you know, smaller to mid-sized companies that can't capitalize on it. We are continuing to engage with the people across the Northwest Territories and the contractors and through the NWT Construction Association and such and the Chamber of Commerce to try to address some of these things. We will continue to work on that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you to the Minister for the reply. I appreciate that there is some effort being built around this. We have seen in other areas and from other departments, too, we have seen the success of certain training programs that have worked well, as well. You know, given that we are fairly good at knowing what projects that we are going to deliver over the next handful of years through our capital asset management plan, et cetera, and just knowing all of these big applications that we have to the federal government for shared funding, are there ways in which, knowing that we have all of these projects that we need certain skill sets built, we can start to use Aurora College or ECE and others to start developing training programs to build up skill capacity in these areas? Are there discussions that the department is having internally and externally to make this possible? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes. You know, I believe education has worked on their document. Skills 4 Success is going to identify a number of these jobs. I think it was 36,000 or 38,000 jobs in the next number of years coming forward. We know that the population of the Northwest Territories is aging. We have already stepped up to the plate, I think, on some of these things as you take the ITH or the Canyon Creek-type projects where we have worked with the proponent who implemented their training programs.

We have given a lot of updates to committee on the number of people who have been trained on these projects. I think it is a number as high as 400-and-some individuals who worked on the ITH projects, with a great focus on trying to get more women into the workforce and these untraditional types of occupations. We are working closely with industry on these things around the training side of things.

You know, I think, hopefully, going forward, you see, even on the Tlicho Road going to Whati, you are going to see some of this stuff taking place, as well. We have really, you know, looked back on the history of these other two projects and how we can implement these things into other projects going forward because there will be some larger projects coming forward, as the Member stated. Thank you, Mr. Chair.