Rylund Johnson

Yeah, and I guess perhaps I would also like the Minister to clarify if I have a misunderstanding here. I know TSC kind of operates on this model of charging departments for the service provide, and it may not in fact be a true cost to the GNWT. So perhaps in coming back, the Minister could also clarify a bit about the TSC and what this $30 million means. Does that mean we are actually spending $30 million? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm surprised my colleague from Frame Lake didn't ask it. Is there any update on renaming the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre, and maybe we could consider asking the Prince of Wales to pay for that $170 million upgrade if he wants to keep his name on it. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Maybe I just have to step back because I don't understand fully. I see that TSC collects $32 million a year in chargebacks. So we spend $32 million a year providing itself internet through the TSC. I heard that we're spending a couple three more million to improve that network. And I guess my question is I don't care what Northwestel is doing. I care what we are doing to our infrastructure. Do we believe with that additional money that the internet that the school system gets will be improved and capable of online learning following this? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have an oddly specific question. So here under ECE, it lists that we're you guys are paying TSC $4 million. Then when I go to the Infrastructure chargeback for ECE, it says $5.5 million. Does anyone have an explanation for why there's a $1.5 million difference? And I suspect perhaps it might be that the school boards also charge back TSC, and that's not showing up here but I may be wrong on that. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess from my perspective, I don't really care whether a department pays Infrastructure for it back. Can I just get a how much that DCN contract costs? Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I remember when they built the new government building, there was a lot of talk that, you know, the energy efficiency of this and it's cheaper to own the build, and I'm sure in order to build it the rent verse own analysis was done. And I'm just wondering, you know, whether we have any plans to build other commercial office space? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I see that the TSC is here, and I believe there are a couple of initiatives to increase the bandwidth and internet speed across the territory. I guess can I get an update on that work? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess I'm going to ask a couple questions about leasing.

I understand that due to both a Cabinetlevel policy and a public accounting standard that we only enter into leases of less than five years, because after five years they tend to be a tangible or a capital lease which would then be recorded as a liability and go up against our debt ceiling. You know, seeing that there's $134 million in lease commitments here, we don't even have that room in our debt ceiling. So we can't enter into longterm leases.

Can I just get a sense from the department to the extent that that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the Minister of Health and Social Services Minister's statement today, she mentioned that the gap between what we pay our nurses and what other jurisdiction are paying is closing, and we are one of the only jurisdictions in Canada that, during COVID19, did not give recruitment and retention bonuses. But one line jumped out at me is that we she went to FMB and got approval to give those bonuses and then in consultation with the union there was not agreement to provide that money.

My question is for the Minister of Finance, who is responsible for that relationship...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess I'm going to just ask again there, because I actually didn't know that leases that the department had would fall under contract services. Can I just in this $69 million, is that the primary driver, then, that the leasing money falls under here, or what are the biggest contracts under this $70 million? Thank you.