Robert C. McLeod

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Like I said before, this is hoping to improve services. I mean, we can't predetermine the outcome and condemn it to failure before it has even gotten off the ground, but what I can commit to do to the Member, the Members -- not the Member, the Members -- is provide them an update when we come to our May/June session, because I think we will have a pretty good indication then of how the move is going and an early indication of some of the improvements that are bound to happen. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am here today to present the 2019-2020 Main Estimates for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Overall, the department's estimates propose a decrease of $1.329 million, or 1.5 percent, compared to the 2018-2019 Main Estimates.

Highlights of the proposed estimates for the department include the following:

new forced-growth funding of $381,000, which includes a term position to meet the government's commitments related to the environmental assessment of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway; and

new initiative funding of $540,000, which includes resources to...

Exactly, Mr. Chair. As we travelled through the Tlicho, listening to elders talk and listening to an 87-year-old elder in the Tlicho saying that he has hunted caribou his whole life, and he always believed that the wolves are a major predator. He told us that they take between 30 to 35 caribou apiece. I mean, I recognize that the Member was referencing a couple of comments that were made by one outside Canada, in Montana, and one in Saskatchewan. I am not sure what their connection to the Northwest Territories is, or if they know where it is on the map, but I would take the word of our elders...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. We'll be glad to provide it to the Members. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that, on Thursday, March 7, 2019, I will move that Bill 43, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Masi. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters: Bill 31, Northwest Territories 911 Act; Committee Report 12-18(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2018 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on...

The Departments of ENR and Education, Culture and Employment are preparing to undertake a feasibility study in 2019-2020 for the northern centre of excellence. In light of the recent Aurora College foundational review, it was determined that the scope of the feasibility study would be revised to consider the outcomes of the Aurora research review. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We welcome any work towards advancing research priorities of the knowledge economy in the North, including the recognition of social developments and health, the importance of multiple knowledge and informing research in economic diversification. As to the Member's question, I could not tell you off the top of my head if we have had an opportunity to review that. I will find that out, and I will get back to the Members. If there was some work done towards it, and if there was an opportunity that we had to address it and review it, I am not aware of that, but it may have been done, so I will...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The land, water, air, wildlife, and plants of the Northwest Territories play a critical role in the lives of Northerners. They are part of our heritage, identity, and way of life. They provide for us in many ways as food for our families, traditional clothing, and transportation routes. The land sustains our livelihoods through hunting, trapping, and gathering. It is a basis for our arts and culture.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has made a mandate commitment to develop country food programming, as well as enhance existing programming and build new...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that, on Thursday, March 7, 2019, I will move that Bill 42, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Tax Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The work on the knowledge economy continues to progress appropriately. ITI, from my understanding, is working on the background research to support the development of the draft framework for the advancement of the knowledge economy, and we are hoping to have this work done by the winter of 2019 for review by the next government. That goes towards the Member's question.

It was supposed to be a mandate item in this particular government. However, there is still some work that we need to be doing. As I said in my Minister's statement before, some of the work that we are doing on the on-the-land...