Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Sometimes I do speak a bit fast. I had sandwiched it in there, but I'll be a little bit more concise. We are committed to reviewing all boards, and that would include the boards that deputy ministers do sit on. As for the other board that was brought up by the Member, that would be the Aurora College board; there is a framework, a timeline, that the applicable Minister is looking at within that. Those are questions, if you wanted more detail, that would be appropriate for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I want to thank the Premier for that response. It's good to hear that board governance is something that is under review. I'm just curious; the deputy ministers who are sitting on boards, do they receive any instructions from Ministers in terms of what they are to do on those boards, or are they at least at arm's length? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Chair. My own Deputy Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs does sit on that board, and I just asked him, "Have you ever received instructions?" and he said, "Never," so they are unfettered in direction from any Cabinet Ministers. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Well, great to get that firsthand experience right at the table. I am still a little bit skeptical. Look, I appreciate that, but I just think that those deputy ministers are put into a very difficult situation, where they have full-time employment and then they're doing this on the side. I just don't think it's fair to our deputy ministers, either. I take the Minister's commitment to review this, moving forward, and I am sure that Members of this House will continue to remind her of that commitment and look to see progress on it. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Did you have anything further? All right. Any other questions? Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to talk about those board appointments as well. I do have a problem with them. I guess it's hard for me to understand that the DMs -- I suspect they have a lot of work; probably a full-time job. To sit on the board and, I guess, kind of, give direction to, say, it's the Power Corporation or whoever; I don't believe that's working. I don't think that they can give good advice.

I know that they all have experience in certain areas. Some of them probably have no idea about utilities, for instance. They probably try and do their best. I'll give them that. I think that it's important that we actually look at putting people on there who do have the experience. If we want to move forward with trying to lower rates and do a better job in education with our power rates, we need people on there who know what they're doing. I guess that's more of a comment that I wanted to make, as well.

I do have a question on page 109. Public utility boards; I see that our actual was $332,000, and in the main estimates, it's $452,000, so it's a little better than $100,000. I know that it's not a lot of money, so what was the purpose for that little increase?

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The revised estimates from 2019-2020 was for $448,000. The main estimates this year is $452,000, a difference of $4,000. That is the forced growth, regarding the union negotiations. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you. I guess I'd just clarify that. I was just looking at actuals for 2018-2019, and we jumped up to $448,000 and then the main estimates show $452,000. I'm just wondering what is the difference between the $332,000 and where that comes in. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I apologize for not listening as well as I should have. Ms. Amy Kennedy would take the question. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Okay, sorry. Ms. Kennedy.

Thank you, Ms. Kennedy. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Basically, I guess what happened, there weren't any hearings, or kind of, in that year, I suspect. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That is correct. There were fewer applications in that year.

Thank you. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With respect to the Public Utilities Board, what are they responsible for? I know they're responsible for the utilities, so I suspect the Power Corporation, NUL; how about say, for instance, Superior Propane, with respect to delivering gas within the communities? Thank you.