Ms. Wickens.

Thank you. Any further questions under the statutory offices? Seeing none, please turn to page 21. Legislative Assembly, statutory office, operations expenditure summary, 2021-2022 Main Estimates, $4,047,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, Members. Please return now to the departmental summary on page 5. Legislative Assembly, operations expenditures, total department, 2021-2022 Main Estimates, $24,443,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. We have concluded consideration of the Legislative Assembly. Does committee agree?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the witnesses appearing before us. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber. Committee, we will just take a couple of minutes' break just so I can get the next department ready.

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Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2020-2021, and Environment and Natural Resources. Does the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources have any opening remarks?

Thank you. Does the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources wish to bring witnesses into the House?

Yes, I do.

Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister, would you please introduce your witnesses for the record?

Thank you, Madam Chair. At the table is Deputy Minister Erin Kelly, as well as director of finance and capital planning, Jessica St. Arnaud.

Thank you and welcome. The committee has agreed to forego general comments. Does committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?

Committee, we will defer the departmental summary and review the estimates by activity summary, beginning with corporate management, beginning on page 72, with information items on page 75. Questions? Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. If we can start on page 73. When I look down the program detail line for 2021-2022, all of those items are actually reduction from the previous year except for policy, legislation, and communications. Can someone tell me what's going on here? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you. For corporate costs, you see a reduction of $21,000. Basically, it's amortization adjustment. Then on the directorate, we see a decrease again as amortization, and then, the field support unit, yet again, amortization adjustment. On financial and capital planning, we see it decreased due to a transfer to the FMD South Slave to support historical spending. Number eight is, again, a decrease of $217,000 due to $172,000 of community hunter and assistance program, one-time supplemental; $150,000 sustainable livelihood program, one time supplementary; $110,000 sustainable livelihood program initiative; and a $5,000 amortization adjustment.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I appreciate that from the Minister. I'm a bit concerned that the core of ENR is starting to shrivel up again because this is what supports all the other work that the department does. I want to ask: the policy legislation communications line, there's no increase there yet. As I understand it, the department is doing work on the Forestry Act, the Environmental Protection Act, Waters Act, and Protected Areas Act. There's some work being done on regulations as I understand it. Where is the capacity of the department if there's no increased funding to do all of this work? Is it just being done off the sides of people's desks? Thanks, Madam Chair.