Thank you. Committee, please turn to page 9 of the tabled document. Department of Finance.

Finance, directorate, not previously authorized, $6,190,000. Does committee agree? Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I see there's $6,200,000 increased to the Housing Corporation which shows up in the Department of Finance as a transfer. My understanding of this money was that it was going to be a permanent increase to the Housing Corporation so that their grant from the government, or the GNWT, has been rather consistent for almost a decade or so.

So I'm just wondering if this is a permanent increase to what we give the Housing Corporation, and if so, is there anything that kind of reflects that in the main estimate -- or in the supplementary appropriations? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the core programs amount there that you see for $4 million is going to be ongoing. It wouldn't necessarily be reflected here. This is a supplementary appropriation to the 2022-2023 Main Estimates but it should be showing up when we do the review for the 2023-2024 Main Estimates and through the business planning cycle. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, and then I take it that the 2.2 emergency shelter homeless funding may be in a bit more of a question than the $4 million then.

My understanding is that this -- well, this goes to a number of shelters but one of them significantly was the Arnica, now known as the Spruce Bough, in Yellowknife. I'm wondering if the Minister has an update of whether any hope of ongoing funding, whether funding for what next fiscal would look like for that organization? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, yes, the amount for the emergency shelters was not intended to be ongoing but to help provide some support to the Housing Corporation so that they in turn could support some of the shelters that were in sort of immediate need and to tide them over because it's my understanding that there were federal funds that were coming available but they just weren't ready at the time. So it was meant for one time to get them through what was a difficult cycle. If there is further needs ongoing by the next cycle, then that would have to come through a business planning process. This $2.2 million won't be reflected as a permanent increase. Thank you.

Thank you. All right, so Finance, directorate, not previously authorized, 6 million -- oh, Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. I like this where it says it's going to go towards home repair, emergency repair, fuel tank, and all -- you know, elders, seniors aging in place. I just want to make sure that, you know, some of this gets spent in communities. And I hope this fund that we're going to be approving will not be used to hire more people to do more planning, studies, etcetera, as mentioned before. So I hope it will get spent in the communities. I would like to see it get spent in communities, in small communities or larger centre -- outside of Yellowknife, that's what I'm saying. So I would like to see this get spent out there than spent -- I hope I -- it doesn't get spent to hire more people. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So Madam Chair, these funds, and I take note, and I appreciate the comment here, that these are programs that really one of the reasons I think that they were chosen or targeted is that they are funds that people can apply to so that they are funds that then are -- the dollars go out to the communities or to individuals who can apply to the funds. So rather than relying on what is, frankly, often already stretched to capacity to deliver further capital planning programs from within GNWT departments, and particularly and including Housing, here individuals who would like to access the money from any community can do so. So I'm quite happy to have that opportunity to highlight the fact that there's been this increase to exactly that - emergency repairs, fuel tank replacements, the Home Purchase Program, mobility modifications, several others as well. Seniors aging in place, etcetera. So I am looking forward to, you know, certainly this is money that we hope does get spent by individuals in communities across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you. Finance, directorate, not previously authorized, $6,190,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. Finance, human resources, not previously authorized, negative $150,000. Does committee agree?

Finance, management board secretariat, $1,615,000. Does committee agree? Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a question about the reduction in contract services here in the management board secretariat. It's rather significant. And I'm just wondering how -- what contracts we expect to lose from this? I don't really understand what the management board secretariat does to be honest.

And if we don't actually expect to lose any contracts, just if someone could colour how we end up, you know, with about $700,000 of surplus in a specific accounting line for this group. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, so there are a few things bound up in there.

I am mindful of time, but the management board secretariat is an integral part of the Department of Finance, and they provide the strategic advice and analysis that goes into the financial management board to help analyze decisions that are being made and they'll provide us advice when the financial management board meets.

There's quite a lot of information about them on the website, and I'd certainly be very happy to have the Member go and look at it because they are an important -- they do perform a very important function.

With respect to the contract services, and we've already seen a few, this one is perhaps more notable in terms of its size.

The decision that was made around which departments and divisions within them to reduce contract services, it's not because there was necessarily a surplus or a known surplus. The effort was made in concluding the budget discussions with other Members, with MLAs, that we made these reductions but that we would try to make them in departments that have historically had the most surpluses as compared to some departments or divisions that actually often do run in deficit and actually need to go back and get more money put in for their contract services. And so that's the reason why this one here, again, historically hadn't see a maximization of it.

For any specific contracts that might be impacted, I would suggest we go to the deputy secretary, or to Mr. Courtoreille, please.

Thank you. Mr. Courtoreille.

Thank you. Finance, management board secretariat. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to question the funding for air carriers for the period of January 1st to March 31st, 2022.

I understand that there was a million that was put aside for regional airlines that was not spent in the previous year, and the Government of the Northwest Territories received an extension for an extra year to get the money out. Is that million going to be spent on regional airlines? And if you did that, there would be only $1,091,000 that would be left for the other airlines, is that correct?