This is page numbers 2243 - 2298 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd 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 going.

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

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Great Slave.

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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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you for that. Before I move on, I'll just make a comment that if the Minister hasn't already been reached out to from a lot of charter companies that we compete with, I'm sure she will be soon. I'd like to go to technology service centre and just ask quickly. You've got all the rates, and I apologize for jumping back and forth a bit, 254. You've got the different rate chargebacks for the different departments. It's not my belief that the COVID money or the extra costs to TSC to move everybody virtually or online would be captured here. Can the Minister explain where that money would be found in the budget? Thank you.

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

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm going to give this to ADM Brennan to be able to provide that information. Thank you.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. ADM Brennan.

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Brennan

Thank you, Madam Chair. The amount that's on page 254 is the amount for departments currently, and the Member is correct, there is nothing here for COVID. The TSC still supports the COVID secretariat, but the COVID secretariat has a separate budget for TSC-related issues. We chargeback to them directly. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 2256

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Brennan. Member for Great Slave.

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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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Just to clarify that a little bit further: any of the money that was spent earlier on in the COVID situation, such as a year ago, March, April, to get everybody working from home, that would also be captured under COVID secretariat costs, not Infrastructure? Thank you, Madam Chair.

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

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. My understanding, it is a cost that Infrastructure has taken on as part of that. I'm just going to look at ADM Brennan to just confirm that. Thank you.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Brennan.

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Brennan

Thank you, Madam Chair. What the Minister said is partially, mostly correct, that, in 2019-2020, in March, that was when the government decided that we should not be working from our work site and sent everyone home, there was a lot of requirement for remote devices and support for remote devices, so lots of laptops, cell phones, et cetera, and getting the network ready for people to work at home. The TSC did overspend its budget, and the Department of Infrastructure, because it is a chargeback model, had to pick up that amount. That is the amount that you see there at the bottom line, $881,000. The COVID secretariat actually was approved, I think, with a budget effective August 1, 2020, so any costs incurred by the department prior to August 1st stays within the department. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Brennan. Member for Great Slave.

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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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. Maybe the Minister could commit to providing a little bit of a summary at some point of what it did cost us as a government to move from working in offices to the virtual, in a breakdown of, say, hardware versus software upgrades and such that were needed. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think that's something we need to put some work into, but I'm sure we have that information. I'm just going to confirm with Mr. Loutitt to answer that. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Deputy Minister Loutitt.

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Loutitt

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think that we have some breakdown, but maybe not quite as much as the Member wants. The department has spent about $2.7 million on COVID costs. Approximately $1 million of that is for the TSC, and $675,000 is hardware and software, but I don't have the breakdown between hardware and software. If the Member would like, we could easily provide that information, as well. In summary, we've spent just over $1 million on TSC since April 1 on COVID-related costs. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Great Slave.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm a nerd. I like data. I'd take that, if you don't mind providing that; that would be great. I have a question now. Sorry, I'm jumping around a little bit, to the Petroleum Products Revolving Fund on page 257. I would also like a suggestion that we make our page numbers larger, going forward. With the Petroleum Products Revolving Fund, I note that we still are carrying an accumulated deficit at the beginning of the year of $1 million. I'm just curious to know, and I always struggle with wrapping my head around this one: have we paid off the extra debt that was incurred due to the tainted fuel delivery? If so, what is this $1 million deficit, then, reflecting? Thank you, Madam Chair.

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

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. There were a number of changes within the fuel services, including, and if I can, the increase of $4.5 million that is due to the increase in sales that is expense; the decrease of $5.2 million mainly because we have some deferred maintenance on some tanks; $450,000 for fuel to Tlicho; decrease of jet fuel delivered to Inuvialuit Settlement Region. I think that's where the Member is questioning, is the $550,000 decrease. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I'd like to turn to the Yellowknife Airport Revolving Fund. There is a significant surplus that has built up here, and I'm just wondering when we're going to start to spend it. Thanks, Madam Chair.

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

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.