Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. If I recall correctly, the last time there was a discussion about this, it was about changing the regulations that defined how the money in the Heritage Fund can be invested to make it so that the fund might actually start to earn money instead of losing money by having some perhaps more liberal investment policies around it. That is what we were told. Now, all of a sudden, I find out that the management is going to get contracted out. How do we go from changing regulations about the investment of the fund to contracting out its management without a Regular MLA, standing...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Well, I don't want to get into a debate with the Minister about the capability of his staff. I believe we have already settled that, that we agree that they work hard, they do good work. The problem is that they don't have the resources that are necessary to deliver on the mandate, and part of that mandate is to provide sound evidence for evidence-based decision making. If you cut contracted services, and that means outside expertise to help you deliver good technical advice to boards, it's not going to happen. In any event, I have one other question here. There is another...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. In the main estimates, on 149 is the number of active positions, and it only increases by eight people between the two years. Is this where this integrated shared services systems unit or whatever it's called, ISSS, is being moved into? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Merci, Monsieur le President. On December 20, 2016, the Prime Minister announced that a new Arctic Policy Framework would be co-developed in collaboration with Indigenous, territorial, and provincial partners to replace the 2010 statement on Canada's Arctic Foreign Policy. The framework is also to be informed by Mary Simon's report from the Shared Arctic Leadership Model Engagement. Our Premier sent out the latest draft of what is now known as the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework to selected stakeholders with a request for comments by February 28th. I commend the Premier for continuing to...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the Minister's words, but the facts show that this department is not delivering on the mandate items that it was tasked with doing, only five of 25 completed. I think we are seeing the results of the continuing cuts with the lack of progress on this work. That is all I have, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am trying to reconcile contracting out the management of our Heritage Fund with the mandate commitment that talks about stronger public governance. How is contracting out the management to a third party going to meet this mandate commitment of stronger public governance? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I have been asking about this for three years, so it would be great to find out what is happening with it. In this section of ENR's budget, there is a reduction of $50,000 to science budgets, so can someone explain to me what is being cut here? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am not even sure if this is the right place to ask, but is there any information about the Heritage Fund? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. That is a great explanation, but why did the department not look for the extra $200,000 within forest management? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. When does this RFP close? Thanks, Mr. Chair.