Steve Norn

Mahsi cho, Madam Chair. After much thought and deliberation about the mandate and our list of 22 priorities, I personally feel like I would have done things a little differently, like you mentioned. We're all very strong alpha males and females in this room, and we wouldn't be here if we weren't. We all have 19 different ideologies and 19 different ways of doing business, but I'm very happy we came to a consensus and came to this document.

For me personally, I think it would be extremely helpful to have knowledge of our current financial state before going into this exercise, but that's how we...

Thank you for the response from the Minister. Not quite what I wanted to hear, but, you know, I try to look at it this way: the States have the CIA; Canada has CSIS. You know, they have their secret committees, but we're the GNWT. We're a consensus government. I think we need to be more open, wherever we can, and I'm hoping that that's the way moving forward. People deserve transparency, as I mentioned earlier. I guess my next question is: can the Minister commit to having the department do more to inform the public about the various GNWT budgets, such as the capital budget and the main...

I move that consideration of Tabled Document 16-19(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures) No, 3, 2019-2020 be now concluded and that Tabled Document 16-19(2) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. WHEREAS Tabled Document 12-19(2), 2019-2023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories has been tabled in this House;

AND WHEREAS the 2019-2023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories requires detailed consideration;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Member for Hay River North, that Tabled Document 12-19(2), 2019-2023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that, on Thursday, February 13, 2020, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the Member for Hay River North, that Tabled Document 12-19(2), 2019-2023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration. And, Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This question is directed to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I spoke a little bit about budget surpluses in my Member's statement, and my question is: in the spirit of getting our district education authorities more budget autonomy, will the Minister commit to let any DEA surpluses in our riding to roll over this year? Mahsi cho.

Madam Chair, I request that the chair rise and report progress.

Mahsi cho, Madam Chair. The committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 16-19(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2019-2020. Mahsi cho, Madam Chair.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.

---Unanimous consent granted

I don't know if there is any foreshadowing here, but did I just get a promotion to Minister? No? I just want to make sure. Thank you to the Minister for his response. I just want to make sure that there is more communication as well, and to have more meetings with our DEAs, just to make sure there is the open line communication, to make sure that I don't have to come back and ask these questions, and to work as a team.

My next question: would the Minister be open to working with our DEAs to grant their wishes and find ways to keep their surpluses?