Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 130-19(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021.

Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

I am now calling committee back to order. Minister of Finance, do you have witnesses?

Yes, I do.

Sergeant-at-Arms, can you please escort the witnesses into the Chamber? I think we're on page 12. Minister, will you please introduce your witnesses?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, we have Mr. Terence Courtoreille, who is the director of Management Board Secretariat, and Jamie Koe, who is the assistant deputy minister for Finance.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Welcome, Mr. Courtoreille and Mr. Koe. We are going to continue on page 12, and we are going to go to detail. On page 12, Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Industry, Tourism and Investment, capital investment expenditures, economic diversification and business support for $9,616,000, not previously authorized. Do we have any questions, comments for section? Seeing none, I will move on to tourism and parks, not previously authorized, $3,831,000, and that continues onto page 13. Any questions? Comments? Seeing none, I will go to total department, not previously authorized, $13,447,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. I am going to go right to detail for this Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Infrastructure, capital investment expenditures, asset management, not previously authorized, $36,398,000. Questions? Comments? Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I'm just looking at some of these line items. I probably will have questions for any time I see "various" on it because it's good to know, a good breakdown. Again, jobs are hard to come by. Contracts are hard to come by, especially in the small communities, and it will be just nice to know some of the breakdowns of this because it does mean a lot, have an impact on jobs for this fiscal year. Just get the Minister to give us a breakdown, what the various items mean? Marsi cho.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance, the ones that have various beside them.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, Madam Chair. I do note a list of them, and I anticipate that the ones that are along roadways, for instance, Highway No. 8 reconstruction, various meaning along the roadway. I'm not sure that we'd be in a position, at this point, to breakdown. I'm just double checking what I do have in front of me. I don't think we're in a position, Madam Chair, to breakdown each and every location at which, for example, culvert replacement would have occurred or which bridge anywhere in the Northwest Territories might necessarily would have been worked on. It certainly can be provided. Madam Chair, I think I would have to provide a more detailed breakdown and commit to provide that more detailed breakdown at another time.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Maybe I could probably just make it a little more simplified again. What I'm trying to get is: to make sure that small communities, and there's more of an equal opportunity there for small communities. If you get a breakdown of, say, Yellowknife and larger centres, how much they get, and what did the rest of the small communities get is what I'd like to ask. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Certainly, if it's broken down in that way, that's not a problem. I anticipate, though, the needs assessment is not so much in order to give money to the communities so much as it's to ensure that assets are being maintained to a certain level. It matters not to me how the Member wants to take the information. We'll get the information to the Member, and he can use it in however he sees fit.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm okay with that, just as long as we get something. Just so we know, it will give us a good snapshot of where these allocations are going, and I think the people know. Marsi cho.

You have no further questions? Thank you. Any other further question, comments, for page 14 under asset management, not previously authorized? Asset management, not previously authorized, $36,398,000. Does committee agree?

Now, we'll move onto corporate management, not previously authorized, $12,365,000. Questions? Comments? Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can the Minister tell us how much of this spending is going to be spent in the North and/or with Indigenous northern companies? Is that something that's known at this point?

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, these are carryover amounts. They'd already been committed as part of the project, so it would really be a breakdown of the entirety of the project, which is not necessarily information I have right in front of me here in terms of each and every contract that's been awarded under the project or that might yet be awarded under the project. Although, we can certainly provide a more detailed breakdown of those projects. Both of these are fairly long-term projects and I expect will be part of capital planning process that's getting started next month. That information should be readily available.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, I appreciate the Minister pulling this information together. We learned sometime recently that 10 percent of the Slave Geological Province contracts have actually gone to northern contractors. I'm interested to know what it looks like for the Mount Gaudet access road and for the Mackenzie Valley Highway environmental assessment. I would appreciate receiving that information. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Did you have any other questions? Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. This page, there is an amount of over $10 million for Mackenzie Valley Highway environmental assessment. When I look at the review board public registry for the environmental assessment of the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the last document posted there is November 28, 2018. Can someone tell me what's happened for the last two years with this environmental assessment and why GNWT doesn't seem to be doing anything? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Some of the negotiation processes that went on were with the Indigenous governments along the highway. For instance, an MOU was signed between SSI chairperson and the Minister of Infrastructure back on April 10, 2019, so that was a fairly significant step that took some time to get to. With that underway, now those organizations need to undertake the work there contained therein. With that, at this point, that then allowed them to move forward and take the next steps required to continue the environmental assessment process. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. The last piece of correspondence I can see from GNWT on the public registry is dated November 29, 2018. It's a promise that there is further work that's going to take place and that government's going to update the board with regard to its anticipated timelines. When does this government expect to re-engage with the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board restart this process? It's been like a year and a half since they've communicated with the review board. What is going on? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Certainly, my information is that there have been steps that are underway, steps that are being taken. The work is proceeding both in terms of the, as I mentioned, engagements with local Indigenous communities and also ongoing work with the boards. Madam Chair, I think that may be something that I can certainly direct this over to the Minister of Infrastructure, but as far as the carry-overs go, the carry-over from my perspective wouldn't be allowed if the contracts weren't in place and if the work wasn't progressing. They certainly have come forward and met that standard and met that requirement in order to be sort of put forward as a request for the carry-over supplementary appropriation. That is why we've put it forward here. Again, I'm fairly confident that those details will have to be available when this comes forward in the capital planning process. We're certainly going to be facing those questions again in that stage, as well. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yes. This environmental assessment has been going on since, I think, 2013. I've raised this with Members of this Cabinet before. You don't go for an environmental assessment until you actually have a proper project defined. Otherwise, you're wasting a lot of different people's times. If we haven't been back to the board since November of 2018, this amount is actually a carry-over, and we haven't communicated timelines to the review board but carrying money over. I'm not sure this is a great way to communicate and try to expedite getting some of the money out the door. I guess that's more of a comment, Madam Chair, than anything else. I'm disappointed that we haven't communicated with the board in a year and a half to provide timelines and update what's going on, even the public. I know that there are some consultations apparently underway, but if you don't communicate what you're doing, you're carrying over money, this is not good on what's supposed to be a major flagship infrastructure project again. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Did you have any further questions, comments on this section? No? Okay. Back to corporate management, not previously authorized, $12,365,000. Does committee agree?

Again, under the Department of Infrastructure, capital investment and expenditures, activity programs and services, not previously authorized, $1,121,000. What's the term I want to use? Sorry. It's reduction. Thank you.

---Laughter

Reduction in this budget. Questions? Comments? Seeing none. Programs and services, not previously authorized, a reduction of $1,121,000. Does committee agree?

Total department, not previously authorized, $47,642,000. Does committee agree?

All right. Now, we will be turning to page 17, Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Department of Justice, capital investment expenditures, activity, corrections, not previously authorized, $2,354,000. Questions? Comments? Seeing none. Corrections, not previously authorized, $2,354,000. Does committee agree?

On to the next activity, court services, not previously authorized, $282,000. Questions? Comments? Court services, not previously authorized, $282,000. Does committee agree? Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm looking for a general update. This is $282,000 into the Yellowknife Courthouse, a building that we don't actually own. I know there has been a number of upgrades, and we keep putting money into someone else's building. Can I just get an update from the Minister? Are there plans to build a new courthouse? How long are we in this lease for, and are we going to continue to put money into Northview's building? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. At this time, there are no plans for a new courthouse. The cost of a new courthouse would still far and exceed the ability right now to undertake that kind of a project. I can say I believe the lease is 2026. I will correct myself later if I am wrong about that. At this point, it does have a lot of money invested in it, so hopefully, it is more than up to the task over the next short-term coming future. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess I will ask this question at a later time. I caution that we are sinking millions of dollars into a building that we don't own, and the lease is coming due in 2026. It doesn't seem like the best bargaining position to be in with your landlord. I am sure that the Minister is well aware of that. Can I just get an update of what the Legal Aid Information System project is, the $100,000? Thank you, Madam Chair.

We'll call this activity item first, and then we'll go to the next one. Okay? Thank you. Do you have any more questions on court services? I will call this activity, then. Court services, not previously authorized, $282,000. Does committee agree?

Legal Aid services, $100,000. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I just have an explanation of what this $100,000 for the Legal Aid Information System project is? Is this essentially the project that we use to replace the law library? Can I just have an explanation of what that is and what this money goes to? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. No, Madam Chair, this is entirely within the Legal Aid facility's instructors in terms of case management and case files. It's a technology-based project. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Sorry. Yes, I was confused as to what this is. I am very supportive of this. I think that Legal Aid long needs some technology to get all its case files in order. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Any further questions on Legal Aid services, $100,000? I will call the page. Legal Aid services, not previously authorized, $100,000. Does committee agree?

Total department, not previously authorized, $2,736,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. Now, we will turn to page 18, the last page. Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Department of Lands, capital investment expenditures, activity operations, not previously authorized, $114,000. Questions? Comments? Seeing none, I will call this. Operations, not previously authorized, $114,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Do you agree that you have concluded consideration of Tabled Document 130-19(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021?

All right. Thank you, Minister. Thank you to the witnesses appearing before us. Are they going to be the same witnesses? Okay. You can just stay there, and we will get through the process for the next one. Does committee agree that this concludes consideration of Tabled Document 130-19(2)?

Sorry. Member for Frame Lake.

Are we concluding the consideration of the supplementary right now? I want to seek indulgence of the committee to go back to page 15, the last item on the page. It says, "Taltson Expansion, pre-construction, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada," and there is an amount close to $2 million. I would just like to know what that is about, please. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Okay. Does committee agree that we want to go back? Seeing nothing, you're okay? We're okay? Okay. Member for Frame Lake.

Can I get some explanation here as to what this carry-over is all about? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance, on page 15, programs and services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't know if my pages are the same as yours, but regardless, Madam Chair, I am familiar enough to be able to tell you that -- yes, sorry. Madam Chair, that is funded by the federal funding, and it was just a carry-over that was required because the federal funding simply wasn't spent in the last year, Madam Chair. It's ongoing work that is happening. The money is there from the federal government and needs to be carried over. I am not sure if the Member wants more explanation for that. I can certainly turn it over to Mr. Koe if he does.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yes, I would like to just get some details. Is some of this money for engagement with Indigenous governments, or what is this work that's being carried over? What's that all about? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Some of it is for engagement. Is some of it for planning, design work, or is it just a big bag? I'm just trying to understand what this is going to pay for. If the witnesses can't provide that now, I'm happy to get it. If I could get it by tomorrow would be even better, but I might be pushing it. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The $18 million certainly was for everything, for environmental planning, Indigenous engagements, and design. I wasn't sure exactly what the $1.9 there or $2 million specifically was for, but with that explanation, at least, thus far, I suspect we can get some further breakdown probably by tomorrow. Again, if it's the entire $18 million, that might take a bit more time, but just in terms of at least maybe project status, I gather, is probably what the Member is looking are for, and we can probably provide that.

Thank you, Minister. Any further questions?

No. Thanks very much.

You're welcome. I would like to say thank you again to the Minister and the witnesses. Does committee agree that this concludes consideration of Tabled Document 130-19(2)?

All right. Mr. Norn.