Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Look, I appreciate the deputy minister's answers. I am not questioning his ability to manage the department, and so on. I would like to ask the Minister: did he ever consider going to the Financial Management Board and seek the additional funding or to get a waiver or whatever so that the department did not have to make these internal cuts to come up with the amount of the anticipated savings? I would like to know why the Minister didn't take that route. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When ENR had identified the Fire Boss and not the potential savings that were going to be realized, it came back to the FMB and asked if it would be able to defer that and they would find other sources of reductions. They did, and we approved that. All the other departments within the GNWT had met their obligations. Because we had asked for a waiver on the Fire Boss potential savings, that is the reason we came up with this.

As we go forward now into the next budget, I think with some evidence we have on the actual cost of operating the Fire Boss, I think the numbers that we come forward with will be a lot more accurate. As we come forward with the new initiatives, much as we were talking about with the climate change and all the measures that need to be taken with that, I think you are going to see a budget come forward from ENR in the future that is more accurate and putting a lot more resources towards a lot of the initiatives that are going to be brought forward by the department.

I think, through the exercise that we went through, it gave them an opportunity, as Dr. Dragon spoke before, to kind of refocus and move some money around to places where it is needed and get new priorities. I think you are going to find a budget come forward in the future with a lot of the new initiatives as we spoke about. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the Minister's words, but the facts show that this department is not delivering on the mandate items that it was tasked with doing, only five of 25 completed. I think we are seeing the results of the continuing cuts with the lack of progress on this work. That is all I have, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister, would you like to respond?

I would love to. I respect and understand the Member's position. He has always taken the same position, but I am of the opinion that the department has fulfilled many of the mandate items on top of doing all the work that was tasked before them before our 235 mandate items came forward. I think the department has been adjusting. It has been an adjustment for a lot of the departments because they continue to do the work.

As you see the results of the work that they are doing, a lot of the new initiatives that they are working on are much appreciated by a lot of folks across the Northwest Territories. There is still some work going on with the mandate commitments: fulfilled are eight; in progress, 12; anticipated, 6. I think, in spite of what the Member is saying, the department has been trying to fulfill their mandate items on top of doing all the other work that is required of them within the $88 million appropriation. Thank you.

Thank you. Environment and Natural Resources. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple questions in regard to fire suppression there. Last year, the community regularly didn't have a team. They were budgeted for it and, due to complications and whatever reasons, weren't able to get the team going. Is that team budgeted for this year? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, it is.

Thank you. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is good news to hear. Has the department been able to reach out to the community and try to help them get prepared for their training that they need to pass on this? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The budget line item that the Member is referring to is part of this appropriation that we are bringing forward to the Assembly right now. Once it is approved, then we will go out, work with the community, work with all the other communities, like we normally do, as far as the training and that goes. Right now, it is subject to approval of the budget. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that it is part of the budget process. Previously, Nahanni Butte and Jean Marie talked about setting up a small team, getting prepared. Has the department looked at reaching out to them and seeing if they are still interested in doing this? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not sure if we have actually reached out to them. If it is an issue that is concerning the community, then they would have a conversation with our folks there. If they want to have a conversation, we are more than willing to sit down with them. Actually, as to whether we went and called them or not, I am not quite sure. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the Minister saying that the department will reach out or is able to talk to them and that. Can the superintendent regional staff reach out to the communities and see if they are still interested in doing that? I know that, last time I talked to them, they were. Is that something the department is able to do? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We can reach out to them, but at the same time, if they are still interested in following up with some of these initiatives, they can contact us, as well. We will reach out to them. Thank you.