Denny Rodgers

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my question's around the Great Northern Arts Festival. I know the Minister knows how important this festival is to the community of Inuvik and to the Northwest Territories. I note that I believe the answer is that the funding was deferred, but I just wanted to get -- sorry, moved to another department. I just wanted to get that on record, Mr. Chair, that the $25,000 for the Great Northern Arts Festival is still available. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee wishes to consider Minister's Statement 4-20(1), Minister's Statement 5-20(1), Minister's Statement 17-20(1), Minister's Statement 24-20(1), as well, Mr. Chair, the committee would like to consider Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, and Tabled Document 93-20(1), 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Departments of Industry, Tourism and Investment and the Housing Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I ask that question, of course, because it's my understanding that the federal funding was provided for the Whitehorse to Dawson portion of that line. I'm wondering if that line, then, would be owned by NorthwesTel.

Mr. Speaker, one final question, part of this proposal obviously was having redundancy and fibre into the community of Tuktoyaktuk too along the new Inuvik to Tuk highway. Can the Minister speak to the ongoing work on getting that line in as well? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure or Finance, I'm not sure. It's the same person, so she'll figure it out I'm sure.

On the fibre line, Mr. Speaker, I spoke to, can the Minister tell me if there has been any consideration given to the redundancy beyond Fort Nelson and is it too late, I guess, to relook at that agreement between the GNWT, Yukon government, and NorthwesTel. Thank you.

That's fine, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And certainly by no means was I implying that the wonderful staff that we have there aren't doing the work now. I'm in touch with them regularly, and certainly we have a good crew there, and I appreciate what they do. And so I will leave it at that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. And that position is located in Inuvik or Yellowknife?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And that's good to hear. Thank you very much. One other -- just a quick comment. I know the mineral and petroleum resources -- sorry, petroleum resources, I think it was a director position was in Inuvik. That position, the person who was filling that position relocated to Yellowknife and is now actually, I think, in an ADM position. Has that position been filled in Inuvik and is there still plans to fill that position there? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my question's around the scientific collaborative research projects. Given that Inuvik obviously is a research hub, a lot of research is actively done through the Aurora Research Institute up there, and it also provides an economic benefit for Inuvik and the region as well. I note in 2022-2023, there was $403,000 spent. I'm wondering why it's been reduced to $150,000 this year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that this committee defer further consideration of Tabled Document 111-20(1), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.