Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I believe that the CFIA process is on track in terms of timing. Whether it has already happened or whether it's scheduled to happen, I can confirm that possibly in advance of appearing on ITI's main estimates this afternoon, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, at this point, the paper and the consultation process around coming up with a bit more of a strategy, that is being done in house. No further funds are required in this respect. It is an area where I can say there has been a fair bit of interest from the federal government with CanNor and with CIRNAC. There is what's called the SPI funding and I'm going to get the acronym wrong SPI funding, which is an area of strategic partnership initiative funding, which we expect could well support some training if that is what's required. But, really, at this point the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I believe that is probably funding that's going directly to the Indigenous governments, and I'm getting some nods around me. So that is part of the contributions to support their participation in that process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, there are changes expected but exactly where they will be coming from is still unknown. That is in the sense that the Freshwater Fish Marking Act is a federal piece of legislation. They, the federal government, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, has been doing a review of that and is working on some form of transition that I, as of yet, don't know for sure. We are working closely, though, with them. There was, in fact, just a meeting last week with both the Tu Cho Fisher Cooperative here in the Northwest Territories, ourselves, and the FFMC to just make sure...

 Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, certainly have an obligation, as I see it, to not any one single company but to the market as a whole, and I certainly only read the decision very briefly today. Would want to ensure that, really, that the CRTC is fully aware of the nature of our economy, of the nature of the business environment here. That is exactly the kind of thing we want to be speaking to. And so in that regard, more than happy to meet with the local players to ensure that anything that comes from government reflects and properly balances the interests. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So work is underway right now to put together regional economic development plans. And I know I've had this conversation with the Member before as to whether one can have a target before one even has a plan so, you know, again, and we may have to agree to disagree about the process by which that is determined, but having something there, having some guidance and some direction so that communities can then develop their targets once they know some of their areas, that may well be the ultimate outcome of it. But it's meant to be something that empowers and drives community...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And certainly we'll commit to make sure we can provide the breakdown. I'm not sure if it's in the schedules for sure or not. I don't need to read it out here.

And as for an increase to the northern food development program, again, at this point, our understanding is that it is actually meeting needs. This isn't a program that's necessarily oversubscribed. But I'll certainly take that comment back and just confirm with the department that that continues to be the case. It certainly was from 20222023 until now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I just wanted to note, so a detailed reporting of which universities and for which projects receives this money is in the grants and contributions results reports for 20212022. That would give a bit more of a sense of what's been ongoing, which I'm also happy to provide directly just rather than reading it out. It is an NTGS administered funding. Mr. Chair, I think I've missed a thread of what the question was. Let me see if the deputy minister wants to add anything, sorry.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Department of Finance does maintain the relationship with the CRTC through the office of the information or the Office of the Chief Information Officer so that is the reason that the question was more appropriate to go to here. I certainly can't commit any other Member of Cabinet, certainly let alone the Premier, to signing any letters. That said, Madam Speaker, I'm certainly happy to say that it would be within the Department of Finance to put together some sort of letter to comment upon or to express some concern that there may be around this...

Sorry. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Community futures. The community futures organizations.