Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, there were two areas of sunset in here, and that's what led to the drop. The first is with respect to the advancing the knowledge economy, there was a position there that is as that work has advanced already now and there is this strategy in place that that position is gone. And then also there's some changes with respect to, again, the makerspace, money that was there has moved out as well. So, you know, in short and then to say that, yes, there's the work that's going on currently on the regional economic development plans but that wouldn't necessarily...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, Mr. Chair, this again, this is funding that's under the mineral petroleum resources portion of ITI's funding, which I would note gets 26.8 percent of the budget whereas the economic diversification and business support services gets 30.8 percent of the budget. So there may well be some funding that's available under those areas or perhaps through various other departments in the Government of the Northwest Territories that provide supports to Indigenous governments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. With respect to the one organization that's not part of the community futures program formally, Mr. Chair, that's been a decision of their own making. I'm certainly happy to see them come back should they wish to be part of this particular process and the funding pot and the funding stream. There's reporting requirements and obviously requires the organization to have its books in order and to be able to report on them and whether they want to follow the guidelines as provided. But certainly can't force anyone to modify their governing structure according to what we would...

Madam Speaker, this time next week the residents of Fort Simpson will be rolling out the red carpet for the fourth annual Liidlii Kue Film Festival. The festival is presented each year by the Liidlii Kue First Nation with funding and support from the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Northwest Territories Film Commission. It has become a yearly opportunity in the Deh Cho to showcase and celebrate the artistry and talent of local and territorial producers. Like the Yellowknife International Film Festival, it can be credited with encouraging creativity and collaboration and...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, thank you, I'm happy to have the question. So this wasn't intended to be a blanket increase to every funding pot, every contribution agreement, every grant agreement, every program dollar that goes out the door to the nonprofit sectors across the Northwest Territories. This was to address the fact that for up to now, nonprofits were out offering services and conducting business really that, without their taking that on, the Government of the Northwest Territories would have to take it inside. So the easier examples often are around the health and social services side...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I expect that is going to find itself under the contract services line item. I don't have the specific here. But it would be in the contribution it would either be reported under the procurement reporting that takes place around our own grants and contributions report. So I can figure out which one of the two it is and provide that to the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And Mr. Chair, this is certainly an area that I know can be very popular in terms of having that SEED support. What we did during COVID was because there was other areas that weren't being fully utilized in light of the restrictions and changes during the pandemic, there was some ability to move money over to the SEED program to provide supports at times when small businesses were very much struggling. As far as what the future of the program is, we are you know, this is an area where there hasn't been a significant indepth review done in some time. It is still a...

Mr. Chair, I'm going to suggest this go to the deputy minister, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I expect we will see the draft regulations before the end of the Assembly. There is still going to be the gazetting process and probably a section 35 consultation process. And I don't know that those two pieces will be complete before the end of the Assembly. Because this has gone through the IGC's legislative protocol development process, I expect that the section 35 process will be, hopefully, straightforward, though certainly don't want to presume, and then thereafter the gazette process is also standard. So those two pieces are likely to be after the end of...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the CAP, or the Canadian Agricultural Partnership agreement, is a bilateral agreement with the federal government. It does get renegotiated time to time. And there has been a new framework that was negotiated with the provinces and territories and the federal government. So we are expecting, as a result of that, a 25 percent increase to the overall funding envelope.