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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So to date at this point, this is being done internally. It was meant to be an exercise that didn't take on or didn't add costs to departments or include to the Department of Finance. So at this point, it's been largely cost neutral or -- and certainly to get, as I said, not new money. Again, there's -- I think outside of finance -- I may be wrong -- I think only ECE has their own actual formal evaluators. So to do this in a bigger sense would likely require some additional funding. Again, could potentially get some estimates for the committee if they want to consider what that looks like. But, again, given the priorities of the Assembly right now, Mr. Chair, we're trying to keep this as an in-House financial. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I get the point, and I understand what the Minister is saying here, but I guess, you know, there's lot of initiatives that we spent a lot of money on year after year. This is one that could help us eventually figure out what programs we need to change or potentially even let go of. I think -- you know, I think this is kind of a -- one of those scenarios where we might need to spend a little bit of money to save some more. And, yeah, it's something that I'd like to -- I'd like to kind of run up the flagpole as an important initiative and I think something that could be useful for the difficult conversations that we've been having with, you know, our inability to fully implement the Restoring Balance policy as of yet. So I'll leave it at that.

Mr. Chair, I just want to ask -- I mean, I see that the heritage fund is included as an information item on page 181. I have some specific questions about that. Should I save those for that page or ask them here?

Thank you. Now that you have the floor, we can also continue with that. Thank you.

BMR. MORSE: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I just wanted to ask a little bit about the heritage fund. In particular, I note that, you know, the Heritage Fund Act does require annual reporting, and we had a compelling presentation from a former Member of the Assembly yesterday on the heritage fund at SCOGO, and they were noting that we do not actually write or post annual reports as required. I'm just wondering why that hasn't been done.

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

With respect to -- I did not have the opportunity to attend this briefing, Mr. Chair, so I don't know what may or may not have been said. But as far as reporting, Mr. Chair, maybe I'll turn that to the deputy minister to see if he can give that background, please.

Thank you. I'll go to the deputy minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the department does currently -- or the fund does produce a report which the department does table on the heritage fund, and we also include in our reporting the heritage fund. So it's at page 181 of the main estimates for finance. And that outlines where the revenues are coming from within the fund. So you'll see on that page that there's about $61 million that is predicted to be in the fund by the end of this fiscal year that we're going into. And that outlines for Members and the public the amount that is -- of the income that is in that fund that is coming from interest and other income as well as the cost of commissions that -- and other fees that the fund has to pay to administer the fund. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll go back to the Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, that's news to me, Mr. Chair, that the heritage fund annual report is tabled every year. I was under the impression that hasn't been happening and that they've been effectively relying on the public accounts for reporting. So can you just clarify for me -- I mean if a fund has been -- sorry, if an annual report, which follows the kind of rules and the final planning and accountability framework for annual reporting, you know, an auditor's report, management discussion and analysis, and -- yeah, analysis providing an overview of the previous year operations, how the year will influence decisions in the future, if that report has been tabled, if I can have a copy of it or I'll have a look for it, but I wasn't aware of it. Thanks.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, no, just to be clear, it is tabled as part of when the public accounts are being tabled. I don't know that it is being tabled separately. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So -- and just to be clear, I mean, I would have to go and do an ask or have a look for myself, but does it follow all of the guidance in the planning and accountability framework that I just laid out there, or is it effectively just a few numbers in the public account?

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I don't have the detail in front of me. I'm not sure if the deputy minister or director can speak to that level of detail. I'll turn to the deputy minister first, please.

Thank you. I'll go to the deputy minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will have to get back to the Member on that. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I'll go to the Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think that's it for questions for this section at this time. Thanks.

Thank you. Next on my list I have is the Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.