Steve Norn

Marsi cho. That would be much appreciated. I have nothing further.

Moving along, are we doing page 241? We are? Band council subsidized leases. Madam Chair, can the Minister just describe what Indigenous groups this would be applicable for, what group this applies to? Marsi cho.

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I'm glad there was a little bit of clarification, because my next question was: if you had to explain the accounting term to an elder, how would you do that? I guess you kind of caught a little bit of it. Thank you for that explanation. Why is this amortization for this department so high in relation to other departments? Marsi cho.

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 30-19(2), Main Estimates, Department of Infrastructure; and also further, Madam Chair, we wish to consider Bill 6, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act.

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I move that we rise and report progress.

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for that response. I guess that leads me to another question. Let's say, if there was that one deciding vote, and it could be any one of us, we could be somewhere in any of the small communities, for whatever reason, and all the attention was on us. All of a sudden, it was that one vote. Would there be something built into this bill stating that you would suspend the sitting until we heard the vote come through? Marsi cho.

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I move that this committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Infrastructure at this time. Mahsi cho, Madam Chair.

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Just so I have my head wrapped around this, you're saying this is discontinued, so this assistance won't be available to whatever band that this help was meant for, Madam Chair?

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Just to clarify, those assets could be, like you mentioned, buildings, equipment, and those sorts of items. Correct? Marsi cho.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a couple of questions. One of the things that kind of stood out for me was the line item on amortization. For 2021, it's at $58.4 million. I looked through the entire book just to make sure, and it's quite high; it's almost pushing half of the entire GNWT's expenditures. I'm just wondering why that is. I'll start with that, and then we'll keep on going. Thanks, Madam Chair.