Katrina Nokleby

Thank you, Madam Chair. I did say that that was my last question but I did spur something that I thought of.

I'm just wondering, I've heard about the thermal anomaly around the Deh Cho area, and I'm just wondering if the department is looking at that potentially for any sort of heating or power source in that region. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I appreciate the Minister's comments, and perhaps I have to find a different department to press for this type of funding through a social program.

I guess with the Minister's comments then about trying to help unlicensed spaces become licensed but they run into that hurdle is the building code and the fire marshal and all of that good stuff, which we've heard lots about in this House. So I guess can the Minister speak to how do we or how does the department help spaces that perhaps aren't ideal become licensed in that case? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm glad to hear that it's fully subscribed and the Minister's support of it.

How much does the department work with the communities to help them prepare those proposals? You know, we often hear about the capacity issues. So it's one thing if they're having to write the federal government for money but then we're even making them write proposals to us. So I just want to know how much the department helps with that? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, with the increase or the look at the money coming in and the plans for the future, I also have concern about, you know, the licensed daycare spaces or childcare spaces in communities. Is there going to be an opportunity or a way that family members can access funding through the new federal funding to provide that daycare for their own, you know, grandchildren or nieces and nephews? I would rather we paid family members to take care of their children versus people having to go out necessarily and work or grandparents that are just doing it at their own...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I asked an either/or question, not a yes or no. So will you be coming back for more money from us?

Thank you, Madam Chair. That always makes me think of something else I want to ask.

I guess further to this, I think this is the right area to ask around, like, our archives and such and whether or not I know that there's been or again, for this lack of capacity that we have in the North or lack of resources, that we're potentially not able to preserve and archive and really utilize the great art that we do have stored at the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre, and when we did do the tour there that was expressed that the building isn't adequate. So is there money coming federally for us to...

The energy efficiency incentive program. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think, again, this is an area where if we increase some of this funding to these types of programs, we would then see an uptake in regional employment and employment in small communities. I know my colleagues have often raised being able to sell crafts etcetera online. So I guess I'm not sure if I have too much of a question there but more just of a comment that I think that we could be very smart with the money here, and I guess maybe I'll ask the Minister what is he doing to ensure that that money is going into the hands of small community artists as well? Thank you...

Thank you, Madam Chair. My next question is around the Arctic Energy Alliance. We're not seeing any changes there for the amount of funding that's being provided. Is the alliance on track to spend all their money this year, will they be overprescribed or undersubscribed? I think this is a great program so, you know, if there's opportunities to put more money there to help our residents, that'd be great. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess I can't stress enough I think the importance of this section, and I think we're coming into some sort of decade of awareness around culture, and I'm not quite sure I have that right. But I'm sort of disappointed to see that we're not getting too much more of an increase in funding here to support our northern performers, to our arts council. I guess this is on my forefront because I've just been doing a bunch of support letters for the arts funding.

So I guess could the Minister speak to why we're not really seeing too much of an increase here, and is there an...