Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the last update of data that I have dates back now to February, so I will have to go back and reconfirm. But as of February, there were already well into almost 5,000 applicants who had received their funding. There was still at that time, which, again, I acknowledge is several months ago, but there was still at that time about 112 evacuee income disruption applications that were in process or being reviewed, and another 120 or so on the evacuation travel support that were in progress or being reviewed. Often the same households or same applicant in these...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in fact, I have actually reached out myself to my counterpart in the Yukon, Mr. Streicker. We had a brief exchange on what efforts they might be engaged in with respect to renewable diesel. They so far have run into similar challenges as we have here in the Northwest Territories, which is, for one, not being able to find Arctic grade to do a pilot on or when we find it, for a small volume, it is extremely expensive. That said, obviously, Mr. Speaker, if we can band larger numbers together, it would be easier, and so Minister Streicker and I, I expect, will...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, we made the initial application process last summer when the call went out from the federal government. We understood that was accepted back in September. Now, you know, yeah, why or sorry, yeah, so this summer I guess last year now and then in the fall, and we continued to follow up with, frankly, the assumption and expectation that given that the, you know, focus on the need for lower carbon initiatives, the focus and need and understanding on climate change and the need to be at the forefront of taking steps to address climate change, to be, again...

Madam Chair, the reason I stuck my hand up quickly is that in going through the fiscal sustainability exercise and the feedback that was received from employees, I do want to highlight that this is an area that we also heard feedback from public servants themselves. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I wouldn't want to steal the Minister of Finance's thunder and, in general, it's not been our practice to have that kind of a budget discussion or negotiation on the floor of COW, so I am going to refrain from taking any position on that further at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think it's as far as along as it can be in the context of knowing that we certainly would never want to bargain in bad faith and in a situation of then changing, you know, you don't change the Act when you're in the midst of bargaining. That would not be the appropriate thing to do. So it's as far as it can be in the circumstances and then, yeah, whether it can be advanced further, subject to conclusion of the bargaining process, again I'll have to just go back and see where that's at specifically. But it's certainly front of mind to me to see that it makes we make...

Thank you, Madam Chair. It does have a program to support folks with wood stoves or wood stove replacements. Thank you.

Madam Chair, let me also note there's the Heritage Fund Act and heritage fund regulations that go with this. So let me put some information together and see if that can provide the kind of clarity that the Member's looking for. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just quickly, I wanted to note that there actually is already a meeting set up with MACA to have exactly this conversation. But I appreciate it being brought up, and I appreciate the Member's comment. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, with me on my left is deputy minister Bill MacKay, and on my right is Terence Courtoreille, the deputy secretary to the financial management board. Thank you.