Thank you, committee. Do you agree that you have concluded consideration of Tabled Document 881-19(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2022-2023? Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 881-19(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2022-2023, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 881-19(2) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Mahsi, Madam Chair.

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Can you raise your hands? All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried. Tabled Document 881-19(2) will be reported as ready for consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill.

---Carried

Thank you, Minister. Committee, we've agreed to consider Tabled Document 882-19(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operation Expenditures), No. 3, 2022-2023. Does the Minister of Finance have opening remarks?

Madam Chair, I do. However, I thought we were doing the infrastructure sup and so I have the wrong ones in front of me, Madam Chair. But if you'll bear with me a moment, I will be able to read the correct ones to you. All right, no, that's still not it. All right, Madam Chair, I'm happy to present Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2022-2023.

These supplementary estimates propose a total increase of $44.1 million, of which $11.9 million will be offset by revenues from the Government of Canada. These supplementary estimates propose the following expenditures:

• $6.3 million for Technology Service Centre costs incurred by departments;
• $26.6 million in support of health and wellness services for residents of the Northwest Territories including:
• $15.8 million to support recruitment and retention of physicians and frontline nursing staff;
• $3.9 million for adult supportive living services and $882,000 for foster care and support agreements;
• $3.4 million for the medical travel program;
• $2 million for radiology and referred laboratory services; and,
• $633,000 for chemotherapy drug supplies.

Also,

• $1.8 million for justice and court services, including $1 million for court circuit travel costs and deputy judge honoraria, as well as $808,000 for enhancements and extensions to the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program; and,
• $375,000 for support to the 2022-2025 Energy Action Plan.

Additionally, we are proposing the following supplementary expenditures, which are supported by federally funded agreements, including:

• $8.47 million in support of health and social programs that includes $6 million in support of First Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care Agreements and the Territorial Health Investment Fund;
• $1.18 million to support Environment and Natural Resources agreements including $300,000 for cooperation in the continuation of the National Forest Inventory Remeasurement, $200,000 for Peary Caribou Movements and Habitat Use, and $300,000 for Wood Bison Collaborative Working Groups in the Northwest Territories;
• $1.08 million in support of the Canada-Northwest Territories Workforce Development Agreement and the Labour Market Development Agreement;
• $394,000 for the Pan-Territorial Sport Strategy Agreement;
• $374,000 in support of Women In Leadership and made-in-the-North campaign schools;
• $316,000 in support of public housing renovations; and,
• $130,000 to enhance economic activity, including $80,000 to support sealskin artisan development and $50,000 to investigate the use of NWT's geological materials for cement production.

That concludes my opening remarks, Madam Chair, and we are happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Minister. I'll now open the floor for general comments. Member for Frame Lake.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And, Madam Chair, just of note, we might make a change on the infrastructure sups in terms of the language of using supplementary reserve because I appreciate that that is a confusing way of putting it. But there is a supplementary reserve for operations. It started off at $35,000, but as a result of the appropriations and the supplementary appropriations, including the proposed one at present, we are expecting to be in a deficit of negative $77 million to $422,000.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I think the Minister just slipped there. It's not $35,000 for the supplementary reserve. At the beginning, it was $35 million. But that's okay. So I guess the reason why I have to keep asking these questions is because this information isn't public. So is there a way that we can do this in the future where the information in the sup, somehow there's a page or something that says how much we're getting from the feds in general for this stuff, what the net effect is on the reserve and, you know, how much additional debt is being added. Is there a way in which we could do that in the future so I or some zombie of me that comes back doesn't have to ask these questions again. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, let me take that back to the department. I don't have a ready answer as to why that wouldn't be a chart that could be included. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Yeah, thanks. Because we get that kind of information in the main estimates. Well, sort of although -- whatever. Anyways, I just think it's a good thing in terms of greater disclosure, transparency, and so on, and I'm sure the Minister will find a way to do it.

So this, you know -- I think, as I understand it, I think I heard the Minister say that the supplementary reserve is going to be $35 million -- well, maybe $44 million in debt or whatever. How do we cover that shortfall, and do we have to go and get short-term, you know, debt coverage somehow and pay an interest rate for that that's higher than maybe long-term debt? How does that shortfall get covered, and what does it cost us? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, well, depending on the timing of it, there can certainly be, you know, a cash flow situation that would require a short-term debt but in general at this point in the fiscal year, we can look back and say that that if there was a projected surplus, then this -- these amounts come out of whatever that projected surplus would be or eats into that, as you might say, which then, in turn, takes away money that would be available for the capital investments. And in this case, there was a projected surplus and that, between the supplementary appropriations and the special warrant to support flood relief, we are now down to anticipating only a roughly $4 million surplus in the fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks. So I think I heard the Minister say so then at the end of 2022-2023, the operating surplus is going to be $3 million; is that what I heard the Minister say? Thanks.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Estimating or projecting $4 million at this point.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.