Thank you for that explanation. The other thing I wanted to ask is: the finance director already mentioned that, in 2015, there were 11 changes in the House. The budgeting has been for six Members, so what is the premise of the six Members, and what happens if it does turn out to be another large turnover, in terms of funding? Thank you.
Debates of March 8th, 2019
This is page numbers 5299 - 5332 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was women. View the webstream of the day's session.
Topics
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Tim Mercer
Thank you, Mr. Chair. When we are budgeting in a transition year, we have to make assumptions about how many Members will not be returning, and our assumptions have consistently been a turnover of about a third of Members in any given election. We always hope it is going to be less than that, but that is what we budget for. The transition allowance payments that we budget for assume that two first-term Members will not be returning, that two two-term Members will not be returning, and that two three-term Members or two Ministers will not be returning. So, if the turnover tends to be more than six Members or if it is six Members who have long service, the budgeted amount will not be enough and we will need to find the funding, as we did in 2015, from other sources or through supplementary appropriation. If the turnover is less than six or if all that turnover occurs for Members who have served only four years, then that amount will be underspent. It is essentially a set of assumptions we have to work on, and we need to wait until the election date to see how it plays out. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you. Further to this activity? Seeing none, I will call the page. Legislative Assembly, expenditures on behalf of Members, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $9,404,000. Does committee agree?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you, committee. Please turn to the next activity on page 11, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer. Comments or questions? Seeing none, I will call this activity. Legislative Assembly, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, operations expenditures summary, activity total, $1,655,000. Does committee agree?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Speaker Jackson Lafferty
Thank you, committee. Please turn to the next activity, Office of the Clerk. Comments or questions? Mr. O'Reilly.
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. There is a significant increase from 2018-2019 to 2019-2020 in research, information and library services. Can one of our guests here explain that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Ouellette
Thank you, Mr. Chair. What is being proposed for library services for the upcoming year is a one-time initiative for a digitization system. This is a move to modernize the way that the library does business in terms of digitizing all of their information, being able to connect with other agencies and networks. The estimated cost for that is $100,000, and there is an additional $21,000 or $22,000 for a summer student to assist with that digitization work during the summer period.
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I know that, over at the archives, there are actually copies of the minutes for the Northwest Territories Council going back to 1921, and they are the only record of those minutes anywhere in the world, as I understand it. Do you know if that sort of information is part of this project? There are research requests, and I have had reason to go back to the 1950s recently on this, but is that going to be part of this project? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
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Ouellette
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I can't confirm that. In talking with the librarian, I know that they are meeting with various groups to flesh out a plan in terms of how they are going to approach digitization, but I know that there are several groups that are involved with that.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I might go and have a chat with some folks in the library as well, because they provide great service to us, and it would be great to have that sort of archival information available online for research purposes as well. I want to thank our witnesses. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
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The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you. Anything further? Seeing nothing, I will call the activity. Legislative Assembly, Office of the Clerk, operations expenditures summary, total activity, $8,300,000. Does committee agree?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you, committee. Please turn to the next activity, Office of the Speaker. The summary is on page 18. Comments or questions? Seeing none, I will call the activity. Legislative Assembly, Office of the Speaker, operations expenditures summary, $531,000. Does committee agree?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
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The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you, committee. Please turn to statutory offices on page 21. Comments or questions? Ms. Green.
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Julie Green Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In his opening remarks, the Speaker said that the budget for languages was going to be tripled. I am not sure if that is this page where the Language Commissioner is, or where it is going to be, but maybe he could point to that, please? Thank you.