Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, ECC's base budget for fire suppression is around $21.8 million, and our current estimate is that the supplementary estimate we're proposing should get to the end of the fire season, but you'll detect in my language some uncertainty. Our estimates as of right now, which led to the request for $75 million, is based on where we were at already now about ten days ago if I had my date correctly and, of course, things have continued to change significantly. It was actually as of August 22nd; this is where we were at in estimating where we were, which would...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, certainly, I mean, all financial pieces do ultimately go through the Legislative Assembly, whether it's through the supplementary appropriation process, whether it's through the actual budgeting process that does take place annually in terms of understanding where our contribution dollars are going. So certainly those two processes alone, of course, will continue to take place and, you know, beyond that, again, this is where we get into some challenge of the timing where I presume that we'll be getting some of this information perhaps even when this...

Yes, please, Madam Chair.

In favour.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I have to say I'm not certain that will actually be within again, that breakdown, I realize more detailed line by line breakdown of what ECC has spent and where they need it to go. I do apologize, Madam Chair, but I will say it's been an unusual sort of ten days, particularly in and around the capital region, where fairly significant work was being undertaken around obviously a very significant geographic size of a community. So I have, you know, made some efforts here as I'm sitting here to try to gather that information remotely. If I can get it, I will...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20232024. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In favour.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, we we've worked hard over the last four years, notwithstanding multiple forms of crisis and emergency, to go from starting off with a deficit situation to being at a point where we were announcing $178 million surplus, what feels like a very long time ago now, back in February. That surplus is all but wiped out right now. There might be some smidgy bit left of that. That's my technical term, Madam Chair. At this point, we're, you know, at $178 million while we're taking $75 million out, better part of, right now. There was the $35 million, you know...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 99 Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) No. 2, 20232024, be read for the second time. This bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 20232024 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I missed literally the first few words of the Member from Kam Lake's question. If she could just repeat the beginning, I wasn't sure what if I could, please, just so I can answer more specifically. Thank you.