Thank you. Minister of ECE.

Thank you. I will say that these numbers here don't actually reflect the actual numbers of people employed. These numbers reflect the positions that are funded by ECE. But that being said, we can fund a school board for a number of positions and they can do whatever they want with that money. Generally, they -- if we fund them for a principal position, they have a principal. But there is a lot of flexibility.

I can get that information in terms of the number of northern -- or at least Indigenous teachers for the Member. We did provide that to the House not long ago in the form of a written question. But as I've stated before, the vast majority are not Northerners; they are from southern Canada. Thank you.

I will also say that the Yellowknife Catholic School Board and Yellowknife 1 do not keep affirmative action stats and so the largest number of our teachers, we don't know whether or not they're Indigenous or non-Indigenous. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Well, no, I -- thank you, Madam Chair. I'll just wait for his rely on that statement that was made in the House here. I have other questions but I can wait another day to get that. Thank you.

Thank you. All right, so with the information item pages, does number else have any questions?

Seeing no further questions, we will now return to the departmental summary found on page 29. Education, Culture and Employment, operations expenditure, total department, 2022-2023 Main Estimates $358,318. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I move that this committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment at this time. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. There's a motion on the floor. The motion is in order.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you. So thank you, Minister, and thank you to the witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, you may please escort the witnesses from the Chamber, and we will take a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

I now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we've agreed to consider Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023. Does the Minister of Justice have any opening remarks?

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. I am here today to present the Department of Justice's main estimates for the fiscal year 2022-2023.

Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $3.3 million, or 2.5 percent, over the 2021-2022 Main Estimates. These estimates support the mandate objectives while continuing to meet the GNWT's fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending.

Highlights of these proposed estimates include:

• Forced Growth funding totaling $2.1 million of which $252,000 is to establish one court officer and one legal aid electronic disclosure position. The remaining $1.9 million is additional funding for the Territorial Police Services Agreement of which
• $657,000 is for additional RCMP members to better serve NWT communities with two additional constable positions in Behchoko and one additional constable position in Tuktoyaktuk;.
• $809,000 for the increased housing costs for RCMP members; and
• $390,000 for additional resources for the internet child exploitation unit of the RCMP.
• Initiative funding of $190,000 to establish a judicial legal officer position;
• Other adjustments totaling $1.8 million mainly for the collective agreement increases;
• Travel reductions in the amount of $160,000;
• Sunsets of $820,000.

These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly and support the vision of budget 2022 by working to keep our residents and communities safe and support vulnerable populations.

This concludes my opening remarks. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Do you wish to bring witnesses into the House?

Yes, I do.

Thank you, Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.

Minister, please introduce your witnesses.

Thank you. We have Ms. Charlene Doolittle, deputy minister; and James Bancroft, director of corporate services.

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

Thank you. Oh, just wait a second. All right, so committee, we will defer the departmental summary and review the estimates by activity beginning with community justice on page 279, with information items on page 280 and 281. Questions? Are there any questions? Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm looking at the community justice committees line on 280. I notice last fiscal's actuals were $1,658,000, and we have the same budget of $2 million. So there's, you know, there's about $500,000 there that's not being spent. Can I just get an explanation why, and is the reason because we just are not always having community justice committees operate in all of the communities? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of ECE.

Thank you. I'd like to ask Mr. Bancroft to answer. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Bancroft.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.