Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes. My colleague from Yellowknife North asked a number of questions I wanted to pursue. I know that Gahcho Kue mine is closed temporarily, and over 100 workers are in the isolation centre here in Yellowknife. Who is paying for those workers while they self-isolate here in Yellowknife? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

I just want to quote something from Hansard, June 2, 2020. Gee, that's a little over a year ago. Me saying this in the House, Mr. Speaker: "If the Minister digs down into her pile from the previous Assembly, she will see that there were a number of complaints about the 60th parallel outhouse in particular. I don't know what it was like this spring, but there were photos sent to me. They were shared with the previous ITI Minister. The Minister made a commitment to try to improve the cleaning regimen, so I don't know whatever happened, but if the Minister digs down far enough in her pile, she'll...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I appreciate what the Minister said, but if you want the public to have confidence in what we're doing, we need to open the books a little more, I think. This is not about me straightening out my finances; this is about public money, and where difficult decisions have to be made, the public has a right to weigh in about how those decisions are made. I think we've got to find a way to allow for some public input and greater transparency in the whole effort moving forward. I think that's all I've got on this, Mr. Chair, but I'd like to move that the chair rise and report...

I want to thank the Minister for that. As this year's budget address points out, though, 30 percent of GNWT operation spending is devoted to health and social programs and services, and in the budget that is proposed for next year, it is going to go up another $75 million. The Minister of Finance said the current expenditure pattern is unsustainable and that a plan was being developed to stabilize health and social services costs. I am quite concerned about what that plan is going to look like, and I don't want it to lead to a reduction in Health and Social Services programs. Can the Minister...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'll get a little bit more technical here. Where would a contingent liability then be? It's not found anywhere in the main estimates. Is it recorded in the public accounts somehow? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Merci, Monsieur le President. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. In my statement, I referred to the conditions described in the Health and Social Services System 2019-2020 Annual Report. The report portrays some very mixed results here in the NWT, where we still seem to be lagging behind many other Canadian jurisdictions. Can the Minister describe for us how this tracking of some indicators feeds into planning and delivery of healthcare programs and services, particularly around mental health and addictions? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I'll move on now, too. Can the Minister tell me whether there is any funding in here for inspection and remediation of Cameron Hills? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. One of the earlier speakers mentioned the elimination of the equity lease administration line for 2021-2022. This was a program that was announced with much fanfare by the previous Minister and was supposed to go on for I think five years. Is this ending early, and have all of those leases been inspected now and they've all been transferred to fee simple ownership? Is that what has happened? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Lands at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I don't think I need to delay this any longer. I move that $303,000 be deleted from the activity corporate management under the Department of Lands for grants, contributions, and transfers related to the Northwest Territories Surface Rights Board. Thank you, Mr. Chair.