Bob Bromley

Thank you, Madam Chair. Very quickly I just noticed Yellowknife is down one and we were just talking about it being one up for the enforcement positions. So I just bring that to the Minister’s attention. So somehow there must have been a cut of two positions for us to still have an additional in enforcement. If there’s any light to be shed on that, I’d welcome it, or later. Whatever serves. Thank you.

Do we have a fire – oh, I forget the name – officer representative in every community, if the Minister knows what I’m asking.

Madam Chair, thanks again to the Minister. That’s good to hear. I know that I was using the Minister’s words there and he caught that. We want to do a good job. I’m with him there.

We have such a history of unfair and erratic adherence to regulations and inspections and so on that it’s going to be very important to really be on top of things once there’s the new situation goal, which is going to be difficult because people are going to holler a bit. Some may have never seen this before, maybe. Is there a plan to make sure that the public is well aware that this is a new situation? I appreciate...

Mr. Speaker, I’ve heard that the Take A Kid Trapping program is drawing dollars from the Growing Forward Fund. That obviously would be inappropriate use of those dollars. Can the Minister confirm whether that is the situation? What is the justification for that if it is? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Obviously, the last time we came out with it there were very major issues left to resolve, and the Minister got lots of input on that and I know recognized that it was major. I hope that we’re not rushing into this just to meet that March 31st deadline. It would be good to get this done, but I would urge the Minister to make sure that we’ve got public support going forward. That’s one point I wanted to make.

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister. I know there are a number of groups and significant movers and shakers that have been involved in programs in the past. I am sure they are being consulted, so I’ll appreciate that information.

The Minister has written to tell me that the ITI regional offices in the North and South Slave and Deh Cho will take on responsibility for delivering the Small Foods Program, and the ITI agricultural consultant will do full implementation in the Beau-Del and support the Sahtu office.

As the new season soon gets underway, could the Minister commit to ensuring community...

That sounds like a wise course, they learned by doing it, and that’s what I want to see. So if the Minister had the resources, would he get going earlier? Sorry, I withdraw that, hypothetical. I’ll leave it at that, Madam Chair. Thank you.

I appreciate that response. It would be wonderful if committee could get information on that so we know what’s happening there and we don’t have to ask it again. Maybe we could even add it to the long list here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Here is a story familiar to communities all over the North. The government guy comes to town in his government truck loaded with his expensive equipment and know-how. He’s there to help. He asks directions, drives to the site and gets to work. Locals watch curiously as another government project takes shape. Days pass and stuff happens until, duty done, the government guy loads up and is gone. Who was that masked man?

From what I hear, that’s a pretty good description of the ITI delivery model for the Small Scale Foods Program under the Growing Forward Agreement. The ITI...

Thank you. Obviously, the Minister has a different time frame in mind than I do, but I’m not going to go there. Has this work been done internally or is it through contract work, the feasibility study? Thank you.