Northwest Territories.

• Author: Schauerte, Doug
• Position: Legislative Reports

The Second Session of the 18th Legislative Assembly resumed on January 31, when Premier Robert R. McLeod delivered a sessional statement updating Members and the public on recent activities undertaken to advance the mandate and priorities of the Legislative Assembly.

The next day, Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod delivered his second budget address and tabled the main estimates for fiscal year 2017-18. The government's first budget, delivered in June 2016, set the course for achieving the 18th Assembly's mandate and collective priorities. The 2017-18 budget continues this effort to ensure that core programs and services are delivered while priorities are strategically acted upon.

The budget proposed operating expenditures of $1.66 billion and revenues of $1.86 billion. It also projected an operating surplus of $167 million and, after accounting for infrastructure investments, an overall cash surplus of $15 million for 2017-18.

Over the next six sitting days, nine of the 11 regular Members delivered their Replies to the Budget Address in which they offered their observations on the budget and raised concerns on key items such as funding for junior kindergarten, community employment support and seniors' living.

On March 3, as House consideration of the budget was drawing to an end, Finance Minister McLeod delivered a statement to the House in which he referenced the significant and passionate debate on specific elements of the budget and the extensive review process that had transpired in Committee of the Whole. The Minister indicated that Cabinet had listened carefully to Members and the concerns of their constituents and were committing to a number of adjustments to the 2017-18 budget including additional funding for homecare, youth in crisis programs, the Anti-Poverty Fund, the fishing industry, the Mineral Incentive Program and the Community Access Road Program. The funding adjustments were subsequently brought forward through the supplementary estimates process.

Legislation

The Assembly sat from January 31 to March 10 before adjourning until late May. Legislation considered during this period included:

Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, introduced by Transportation Minister Wally Schumann, provides for the establishment of a revolving fund at the Yellowknife Airport to meet the airport's capital, operations and maintenance needs. The Bill was considered by the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment...