Our scribbles on the House, Mr. Chairman, that didn't have the one with Fort Simpson. Now we all reconcile is nine on this and we're all on the same page.

If the Minister could just elaborate a little clearly -- further that is, the $841,000 is for the 2023-2024 budget, if that represents five, and just to reaffirm the ratio of 52 to 48; I'm assuming we pay the 48? Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I think I said five earlier so that may have been the source of some confusion. There are these nine. This is what this appropriation is for. This is required for the Department of Justice to fund the positions. This is our 48 percent. Thank you.

Thank you, I'm going to go to the Member from YK Centre.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.

That's correct, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from YK Centre.

Are they currently staffed or anticipated to be staffed? I know it's this year fiscal money, but I also am aware it's very difficult to get boots on the ground in that industry considering the shortage, so I'm curious if they're actually in the position or are they anticipated to be funded for this fiscal year?

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I can't say for sure. RCMP themselves do the recruiting out -- they are responsible for training obviously -- I shouldn't say obviously. They are responsible for the training. That does not happen here in the territory. And for then recruiting and for then determining the placement of officers. So I can't say for sure. We can try to find that out. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from YK Centre.

Okay. So these are permanent moving forward positions, and the Minister said she'd get back to us with respect to if they're currently staffed or not staffed in that sense.

The other aspect of questioning here is if we're staffing nine new positions, that's great. That said, how many have been requested? And I assume these are the nine that are proved moving forward. So how many in total have been requested? And obviously the difference is the number that are unfunded or not being funded. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm, again, not aware of there being a denial but I certainly can't say that for sure as the supplementary appropriation comes forward for the one that are approved. So I don't have any information here on the sup as to things that weren't -- that aren't being put forward for a request. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from YK Centre.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. For the approval process, it would be nice to know because, I mean, the government brings forward what they decide to accept to fund but, you know, there's no input on the Members with respect to these types of things. So in other words, if the RCMP institution said we need, for example 18, and the government said we'll fund nine through partnership obviously, all we know is the nine that has been funded, and you're not hearing from the Members or input from the Members saying no, no, no, we would like to see the 18 because, for example, there might be more needed based on the needs prescribed by the RCMP, not Members. Again, Members aren't in this position of staffing or pointing out where RCMP people should go. But, you know, be excited to hear that those needs are being met. I mean, we are well aware of what happened today, or most of us are aware of what happened today in Tsiigehtchic, and we can understand the strain of the resources, you know, be it the support services in the regional centres. So that's why it's kind of nice to know what their request was and are we meeting their needs as well, which are the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's probably an excellent question to raise during the business planning process when you'd have the Department of Justice in front of you there defending their decisions in terms of their annual appropriations and annual business plans. And I'll certainly convey to the Minister that that may be a question that they should be anticipating. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go back to YK Centre Member.

Is there any reason why the Minister of Justice couldn't answer that today considering he's literally a very good folded paper plane throws' away? I mean, I could, you know -- I mean, he's right in front of me. Is there any reason he couldn't answer that question?

I think at this time we're just going to continue on with the questioning to the Minister on the subject line item. I'm going to go back to YK Centre. Do you have a question for the Minister of Finance? Thank you.

I think my question was is can she provide that information, then, if she's not willing to pass it on to the Minister? Thank you.

I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.