Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the sentiment of my colleague from Yellowknife North in bringing this forward. I feel that I have got sufficient commitments from the Minister of Finance that there is going to be regular financial variance reporting that is going to allow us to monitor. I will hold their feet to the fire in terms of expenditures of funding for COVID secretariat functions between now and the end of the year. I take the Premier's commitments at face value, again, that a process has been started to look at ways to reduce the self-isolation centre costs and to reduce the mental and social anguish that is associated with self-isolation, as well. I am convinced, with those commitments that have already been secured, that there are going to be very serious efforts towards reducing the cost and that there are also going to be additional efforts found to increase federal funding for these COVID secretariat functions. I appreciate the sentiments of my colleague, but picking an arbitrary figure of $5 million, I think it is quite arbitrary. I say that with all due respect to my colleague. It could have as easily been $6 million or $4 million. I just don't accept picking an arbitrary figure like this and reducing the budget for these important functions in that manner, so I will not be supporting the motion. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Kevin O'Reilly on Committee Motion 56-19(2): Tabled Document 217-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No.2, 2020-2021 - Deletion of $5,000,000 from Department of Health and Social Services COVID Secretariat, Defeated
In the Legislative Assembly on November 3rd, 2020. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 56-19(2): Tabled Document 217-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No.2, 2020-2021 - Deletion of $5,000,000 from Department of Health and Social Services COVID Secretariat, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
November 3rd, 2020
Page 1644
See context to find out what was said next.