Caroline Wawzonek

No, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 19, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2024-2025, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures at the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If that is the interest received, Mr. Chair, we had in 2023 -- I don't know that I have the -- well, I don't have the 2024-2025 actuals yet, Mr. Chair, but I can say we have revised upwards on interest. Obviously interest rates were pretty high last year, so -- and we do have -- so we have -- yes, we've revised it as of this time as being $4.454 million. In 2023-2024, it was a lot lower but, again, interest rates were pretty high. So we do maintain right now a 75 percent bond amount and that -- so, I mean, again, depending on where those bonds are but when interest rates...

Mr. Chair, if I could start with the director -- the deputy, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the budgeted line item of $6.1 million there has been that same value for -- well, some time anyways, but it is an estimate, and it is ultimately a projection, and it does depend a fair bit on what the state of the resource sector is doing and how healthy it is, and there can be quite a bit of fluctuation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Actually, Mr. Chair, if I might send that one over to our director, please.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 19, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2024-2025, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, this is not health care specific though certainly does have some significant numbers, I believe, in -- or some numbers within health care of the folks accessing this. It is generally for staff -- existing staff was the other question. So it is for existing GNWT employees and is an opportunity means by which to support employees as they are wanting to move up in the organization by providing them, if there's a gap in a certification or a gap in a particular area, that they can obtain that through this program. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the previous amount of $13 million is what the budget amount would have been. So back 2023-2024, likely you would have seen -- and I don't have it here or recall, but in 2023-2024 the actual budgeted amount, I believe, was significantly lower than what the actuals wound up being. You would see a change to revised if we brought a sup. In past years, we were, I know certainly in some years, able to cover internally increased costs in medical travel within the department. The last few years have seen a number of cost increases, not the least of which is an...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, again, Mr. Chair, the department does have folks who have been involved with the file and with the evolution of the federal carbon tax system for quite some time, since its early inception. They were able to respond when there were changes coming out from the federal government in the last couple of years, more than once, and those same individuals, Mr. Chair, continue to monitor what comments are being made. But until we know with some finality if we're dealing with no carbon tax, if we're dealing with a modified carbon tax, if we're dealing with only an industrial...