Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a response from the territorial government.

A video showing Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod predicting a better financial outlook for the territorial government is being touted as evidence by the Union of Northern Workers that the GNWT has been misleading the public about the true state of government finances.

The GNWT has long insisted it cannot afford the wage increases sought by the union in contract negotiations on behalf of territorial government workers, which have been dragging on for more than two years.

A union email sent to members on Dec. 7 and on the unionSA国际影视传媒檚 website direct its members to the  showing a meeting of the legislative assembly's Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning on Sept. 7. In the video, McLeod is briefing the committee on budget planning for 2019-20.

At round the four minute mark, McLeod notes the "declining revenues and challenges related to aligning expenditure and revenue growth" that have hampered the territorial government over the life of the 18th legislative assembly thus far but then predicts "significant revenue increases" for fiscal year 2019-20.

"As you will see in the detail this is due in part to increases in the grant from Canada, an increase in specific purpose transfers from Canada mostly related to infrastructure investments and a rebound in corporate taxes and resource revenues," said McLeod.  

"While this increased revenue is welcome,SA国际影视传媒� the minister continues but before McLeod can finish his sentence, a staff member approaches him and turns over his paper.

"ISA国际影视传媒檓 sorry I gave you the wrong one,SA国际影视传媒� the staff member can be heard saying to McLeod.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne second Mr. Chair,SA国际影视传媒� McLeod says as he shuffles through a folder of papers.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think heSA国际影视传媒檚 doing the.. SA国际影视传媒� a staff member seated next to committee chair Tom Beaulieu can be heard saying before the audio in the video cuts out at 5:03.

Beaulieu points to McLeod at 5:19 and the audio is restored.

SA国际影视传媒淥K, letSA国际影视传媒檚 do that again,SA国际影视传媒� says an obviously embarrassed McLeod with a chuckle.

SA国际影视传媒淭hank you for the opportunity to meet today to start the review of the 2019-20 business plans of the Government of the Northwest Territories.SA国际影视传媒�

McLeod then says that the first portion of the daySA国际影视传媒檚 meeting is a public meeting.

The union's email suggests the finance minister's aborted statement was not meant for public consumption but was actually a briefing note for cabinet ministers that McLeod accidentally read into the record.

The email asks: "Truth or delusion? You be the judge."

SA国际影视传媒淭he minister did indicate that there was two stages to the Priorities and Planning Committee work which one was public and the other he didnSA国际影视传媒檛 state whether it was a confidential meeting with the committee or whether it was with cabinet,SA国际影视传媒� said UNW president Todd Parsons when asked about the video.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne could only assume that it was for cabinet if itSA国际影视传媒檚 so confidential because our elected officials such as the MLAs, which share a lot of information with the public, I mean it normally would be in the public domain.SA国际影视传媒�

Parsons said he hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 had any conversations with the minister directly about this, and he was surprised that media didnSA国际影视传媒檛 immediately pick up on it when it happened.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was surprised that the media didnSA国际影视传媒檛 focus in on the comments that were made by the minister,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne reason they piqued my interest was the simple fact that he was interrupted by a staff member to bring to his attention that that was confidential information that wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 for the public to be aware of.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淎nd this government prides itself on being transparent but yet they have two versions of information thatSA国际影视传媒檚 shared at a moment in time. Which calls in question their honesty.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檇 be interested to hear what the ministerSA国际影视传媒檚 comments are going to be in relation to this but it was pretty obvious that there was a mistake made. And itSA国际影视传媒檚 certainly to the benefit of the public to share that information publicly.SA国际影视传媒�

Government responds
Cabinet spokesperson Charlotte Digness confirmed Tuesday that McLeod's curtailed presentation was supposed to be confidential but it wasn't just for cabinet. McLeod was supposed to read the more detailed note to committee later in the day during a closed door session.
SA国际影视传媒淭he minister was provided, in error, at the start of the public portion of the meeting the statement that contained the more detailed preliminary confidential budget information for regular members of (the Standing Committee for Priorities and Planning),SA国际影视传媒� Digness stated in an email.
Her email confirmed the government is expecting SA国际影视传媒渕odest revenue growth over the medium term.SA国际影视传媒�
David Stewart, the deputy minister of finance, did later elaborate during the public session after McLeod was forced to stop reading from the confidential notes. He said the GNWT is expecting an additional $53 million in formula financing from the federal government while revenues from corporate and personal taxes are expected to" stabilize back to more historic levels."
Digness added, SA国际影视传媒淚t is disappointing to see that the president of the UNW believes that questioning the honesty of the government is the most helpful way to finalize a collective agreement.
SA国际影视传媒淭he government would suggest that actually agreeing to return to the bargaining table and trying to reach an agreement is a better approach and believes that is what employees, residents, and communities want us to do. We continue to offer to meet with the UNW at any time, with or without, the mediator.SA国际影视传媒�

Parsons said union members asked that the video clip be distributed.

SA国际影视传媒淭he only reason that we put it on our website is our members have asked us in membership meetings to share that more broadly so people have a better understanding that the financial outlook for the Northwest Territories is more favourable than what was originally presented by this government,SA国际影视传媒� said Parsons.

The Conference Board of Canada put out a in November, stating that the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 economy is forecast to shrink an average of 1.6 per cent per year between 2018 and 2025.