Katrina Nokleby

Thank you, Madam Chair. As any department would have, we do have a preventative maintenance program, an asset program, where we would be looking at items like the ferries and others to determine if they are near the end of their useful life, and whether or not replacement would make sense than continuing to retrofit. Currently, we're going to be applying for funding under our low carbon energy efficiency fund. I think I've got that right, but the LCEF, and we'll be looking for our money there to work on our ferries and potentially purchase new ones. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. As I mentioned in the House yesterday, they are on time. They will be delivered in August. Sorry. They were $29 million. Maybe I will just ask Dr. Dragon to just fill in a little bit more of the information. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Yes, my department constantly advocates and lobbies with the federal government for more funding for our programming, including SEED. We have numerous ongoing conversations with CanNor and with federal ministers in my FPT tables. Every time, I raise the issue of needing more business supports for Northwest Territories businesses, that we do fall through the cracks, and that the majority of our businesses are small businesses, which are already having economic uncertainty prior to COVID. Yes, we always look for more funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would believe that has to do with just the sheer size of the Department of Infrastructure and the number of assets that we do manage. We have a lot of the GNWT buildings for other client departments. We have the roads. We have airports. Everything sort of tangible or a lot of tangible things fall under the Department of Infrastructure compared to, say, Finance, which maybe doesn't have as much brick and mortar as we do. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't have that percentage in front of me. I will check with my team to see if they do have that. Dr. Dragon does indicate he does. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I believe what he's saying is the charter costs are what they label when they do work on other peoples' boats, whereas the charter revenue is the money we receive to move goods around. Perhaps I would suggest that charter costs, under expenditures, is a poorly named item. It would probably be better to be "work on others," if that is my understanding from what Mr. Brennan has said. He's nodding his head "yes." Thank you, Madam Chair.

As mentioned, SEED has a funding, or sorry, a pot of $4 million this year. It is my understanding there are not allocations to the different programs, but rather, we evaluate each application on a case by case merit. They are regionally evaluated. However, it is my understanding, there aren't certain amounts allocated to the regions. However, I will confirm that with my department.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It's my understanding they are doing snow removal right now on the runway so that the planes can land. It is under our climate change adaptation strategy to deal with some of these airport drainage issues. How about I will commit, as well, to the Member to have a discussion about that particular airport after? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I can only speak for the year that I've been here. I'm sorry that the Member feels frustrated with this. There is a plan; it is being finalized. Once it is finalized, we will be moving forward on spending the money. I think that, particularly in light of where we are at in our situation and wanting to maximize our dollars, we have to make sure, when we do move forward, we're moving forward and spending the money in a good manner that maximizes benefits to Northerners. If we have to take a little bit more time in the post-COVID or during COVID to do so, I would rather my...

Thank you, Madam Chair. There would be definitely lots of different types of travel involved. I think I will go to Mr. Brennan for a more fulsome response. Thank you.