Thank you, Madam Chair. We are at work looking at expanding the base budget for fire suppression to make it more reflective of some of the costs. One of the challenges we face with every other jurisdiction is we are now quite routinely, at least the last few years and if you look around the world, like in North and South Carolina, for example, extreme weather events that are coming in. We've had some discussions, as a Finance department, about how do we best capture the pressures from extreme weather events that aren't tied to the routine business that supplementary appropriations are designed to capture, that are going to be more and more reflective of what's happening with global warming and climate change.

I appreciate the Member's concern and it's ours as well. We need to capture how we account for those major events that are a very big drain on the public purse. At the same time, we want to make sure that we still use the supplementary reserves appropriately, so part of the discussion is maybe there is a separate column and a separate way to account for those and it's not a discussion that we've finished having and it's a discussion that we'll be continuing to have with committee, as well, as we accept the reality. Most of us would accept the reality that extreme weather is now upon us. I think every jurisdiction in the country is facing that, it doesn't matter which province or territory. Thank you.

As we speak, the folks will be pulling together a package that we will put on the table and provide to committee members. It will be part of the record on a go-forward basis. We will do what we can for last year, but we'll do this year for sure. I will commit to that. We'll make it part of the record that that will be the expectation for all further supplementary or special warrant appropriations. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We did provide some extra information on a go-forward basis. If the request is a comprehensive, very detailed package that will capture all our costs in terms of material, fire crews, aircraft, we can commit to provide that. We can work through the committee before the next fire season, the format, to make sure it captures the needs of committee in terms of accountability and such. We can build that in so it's not at the level where it is currently. Thank you.

I am here to present Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2015-2016. This document proposes an increase of $50.7 million in operations expenditures for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

The more significant items are:

1. a total of $24.5 million for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the increased costs incurred during the 2015-2016 fire season. Twenty point nine million dollars of this amount was approved by a special warrant in June 2015 and is now being included in the supplementary request.

2. $22.1 million for the Department of Finance to contribute funding to the NWT Power Corporation to mitigate the impact of extreme low water conditions in the Snare Hydro system against NWT residents' power costs.

I think Members will agree that this level of investment is not sustainable over the long run and that government needs to start taking steps to reducing power costs for governments, businesses and residents.

The GNWT has already made significant efforts and investments to reduce internal power consumption. However, more needs to be done to encourage our residents and businesses to do the same.

The most immediate way of doing this is to provide additional funding to programs currently being delivered through the Arctic Energy Alliance, or AEA, and to accelerate NTPC's LED Streetlight Replacement Program.

If Members agree, 10 percent, or $2.2 million, of this funding will be committed: $1.8 million to AEA and $400,000 to NTPC programming for 2015-2016 to enhance energy conservation in the NWT.

3. $1 million in incremental costs associated with the current year operations of the new Hay River Regional Health Centre.

I am prepared to review the details of the supplementary estimates document.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We as well hope that the Member is never driven to having to unwillingly watch the proceedings on TV to check up on this thing and we intend to honour the commitment that's laid out here. Thank you.

Yes, I would, Madam Chair. Thank you.

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 70, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2016-2017, be read for the second time.

This bill authorizes the Government of the Northwest Territories to make infrastructure expenditures for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 70, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2016-2017, be read for the first time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following three documents, entitled “Environment and Natural Resources Strategic Plan 2015-2020,” “Conference of Management Authorities 2014-2015 Annual Report” and “Northwest Territories Species at Risk Committee Annual Report 2014-2015.” Thank you.