Katrina Nokleby

Thank you, Madam Chair. This is a new government. I can't answer for what the last government was doing. We do want to do things differently. I would say that characterizing spinning wheels for six months when three of those have been COVID, you know, there should be some understanding that this will be delayed and take some time. As I mentioned earlier, there are going to be impacts on trying to do engagement and moving forward. We've had a hiring freeze on since COVID; that does impact the department, as well, in moving forward with new initiatives. This is something that this Assembly has...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The BDIC has a mandate or a legally mandated item to carry so much money in the fund. I don't have the details on that, so I think I am going to pass that over to Ms. St-Denis, but it isn't $30 million just to spend. I'll let her clarify that. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think I will pass this to Ms. Strand to provide more information. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Is this the one where I should just kind of toss it out the window? No, I shouldn't make jokes. Obviously, the new one is we're going to pivot, right? We have to figure out how we're going to change our strategy. Clearly, we're going to have to make some changes around our marketing. Will we be focusing the marketing dollars into the Asian market? We are going to have concerns with, as other international borders start opening up and ours doesn't, we are going to lose our aurora tourism, likely, to other jurisdictions. The department is very live to this. We're having those conversations. We...

The WSCC has completed a relaunch inspection plan, which I can make available to the Member. All enquiries that WSCC has been responding to with respect to COVID and their regular business have been answered within the standard service timeframe. At this point, WSCC has not come to me and said that they have any staffing issues. However, it is a situation that I'm alive to. If we do determine that they are being overwhelmed with COVID response or back-to-work plans and advice, we would then look to get them the supports that they need.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think this is one that I am going to pass over to -- I don't see anybody raising their hands -- Ms. St-Denis. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to introduce Ms. Nina Salvador, our director of finance and administration. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would assume that the Department of Infrastructure, actually, probably looks at how the outhouses will be built. I will take this back as a comment to both departments and say, "Have we considered something that makes a little bit more sense from a cleaning standpoint," and we can definitely throw the COVID urgency on top of that. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We have an entire department that deals with the mineral resources industry and sector. They would be doing this as part of their work. We will have some contract funds coming towards this at a later date, and we will update at that time. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It appears that, under that fund, we spent $79,000 in the Beaufort-Delta. I'm not familiar with whether or not an actual sort of food-sharing or swapping program has been developed in that region, but I'm definitely interested in exploring something like that. Anytime we can have people eating as much country food as possible and, as well, keeping them on the land and traditionally harvesting, I think it's a great thing. This probably does have, I don't want to throw other Ministers under the bus, some overlap with ENR -- he's perking up back there -- abit of a...