Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Mr. Dent, if you would like to please invite your witnesses in. I will ask the Sergeant-at-Arms if he would please escort the witnesses to the table.

Mr. Dent, would you please introduce your witnesses, for the record?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. I would also like to say happy wedding anniversary and I sure hope that party tomorrow wasn’t a surprise.

---Laughter

We are on main estimates consideration for the Department of Justice. If the committee agrees, I will ask Mr. Dent if he would proceed with the opening remarks for the Department of Justice. Mr. Dent.

Thank you. We will do that after a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

I call Committee of the Whole to order. The Speaker has indicated the items on our agenda for Committee of the Whole. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. General comments. Are there any general comments on the Department of Justice?

Thank you. First on the list for general comments, I have Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well then I really have to question what this entire debate in Committee of the Whole with respect to department’s budget is all about if we have no opportunity as Members to affect any change in that budget. As Members all know, we’re already looking at expansion of government presence and government roles in various regions throughout the Northwest Territories for the upcoming fiscal year that are nowhere indicated in the budget. So I’m a bit disappointed with the Premier’s answer on that. All I’m asking for is that if the decisions were made on good and sound...

Welcome back, committee. I will call Committee of the Whole back to order. We are on the NWT Housing Corporation. I will ask Minister Krutko if he would like to bring in his officials. Is the committee agreed?