Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to first ask about the NWT Business Development and Investment Corporation. I think there have been discussions about the need for some consolidation of services and some more efficiency within that agency. I’m wondering if the Minister can tell me what’s happening on that front. Thank you.

Thanks for those comments from the Minister. I think we are at least in total agreement on the last statement he made. We do want to get it right.

One of the administrative mechanisms the Minister has mentioned is a move to an integrated case management, meaning that GNWT treatment and client service that work cooperatively to bring the various available programs to bear in helping individual clients. This would break down the cycles and improve the effectiveness of the individual programs. What progress has the Minister made on that front? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m wondering about the Mackenzie Valley development contributions, $715,000. I wonder what is our contribution to the Aboriginal Pipeline Group given that all the other proponents are closing their offices and shutting down on a temporary basis, at least. What is our contribution to the APG?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have to say that I’m pleased with many of the moves that are taking place with the new approach to housing recently proposed and I’ll be looking forward to chatting about some of the details.

I guess my first question would be on this year’s financial approach. The $700,000 additional dollars identified to continue the energy upgrade in public housing, how many upgrades would $700,000 typically support for energy upgrades? How many houses could be upgraded for that amount? Thank you.

Thank you for that explanation of the reduction, that clears up that mystery. I’m still concerned about where we’re getting the millions of dollars required for the caribou surveys. These are core activities that this government is responsible for and we do bring in partners and so on. In terms of funding, unless things have changed mightily since the last time we looked at this, the GNWT is sort of the major agency responsible for funding those surveys. Perhaps I can start with is there an estimate for the cost of surveying all of our major herds this fiscal year?

Yes, I was referring to during the 16th Assembly when the caribou did crash and we were, as a government, less than candid leaving the outfitters with commitments that they obviously couldn’t fulfill given the situation. We knew it. They didn’t.

I appreciate that update from the Minister. In the December statement, the Minister said he would be working with the Health Minister on prevention and treatment options, and I think that’s what the Minister was talking about. I’m wondering, given that this work is ongoing, and hopefully we’re going to come up with a good solution, is the Minister aiming at avoiding the costs of Bill C-10 through his prevention program or is his strategy to come up with the dollars for new facilities and services and so on. What is the goal? What is the strategic direction of this Minister in consultation with...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I didn’t mean to interrupt my colleague’s flow there, but I just have a few quick ones. First of all, the department seems to be focusing on large projects quite a bit. That’s great when they happen. You know, there’s potential for a lot of benefits, but we don’t have a lot of influence on whether or not they happen. That’s primarily an economic analysis. We do have a lot of influence on whether or not and to the degree to which and how we make sure we tie down benefits from those big projects when they happen.

An example was mentioned by the Minister of Finance in his...

It’s clear that I have lots of colleagues that share your enthusiasm for this real high potential area. I agree that there are a lot of amazing and wonderful entrepreneurs out there. I noted that they also play a big role in the communities for sharing their expertise. They’re all very much outgoing that way and are real nodes and worthy of our support. I’m very glad to hear that this is fully supported.

I guess maybe just to move on here. Are these $300,000 essentially federal dollars? Are those the going forward or is that in addition to that? I’m wondering what that amount would be.

I’m also...

The reason I raise this is because we do have a lot of capable public servants in our workforce and there has been a trend in the past to contract out more and more. We hire the experts in the field and then they sit there and do administration when they were hired to actually do the work because they are experts in that field. That is an ongoing concern.

The second question I have on this page is the department is committed to surveying all the major herds, as we learned from the Minister, this fiscal year. Yet I see really a reduction, if anything, to the wildlife management budget. Again I’m...