Kate Reid

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And recognizing that this is a little bit of an overlap to MACA's jurisdiction, I hope the Minister can answer this. What is the GNWT doing to support municipalities on waste reduction and diversion? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And, yeah, I know it's not necessarily always the budget line item here that would make all the difference, but I guess could the Minister speak more to what they're exploring to support the forest industry. I know there's interest on the Regular MLAs' side to see that industry flourish. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to speak to an environmental and community issue. The lack of plastic waste recycling and the influx of plastics in our landfills in the NWT.

Plastic is present in everything in our society, but the management of plastic waste remains a problem. Only 9 percent of the plastic waste that is created in our country is recycled. Plastics continue to be buried in landfills across the territory, including in Yellowknife, as reported this past April by the CBC. 60 tonnes of plastic waste was collected in the blue bins across the city, and they are now...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So under forest management, there is a section for forest resources. I believe they are helping in terms of the supporting the forest industry as outlined in the business plan, but maybe the Minister could confirm. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you for that answer. Noting that I might actually be a reduction on this line item, could the Minister please speak to the reduction in the policy legislation evaluation and communications from last year's expenditures. Thank you. And it's actually quite significant as compared to 2022-2023. I expect this might be in part due to efficiencies from the merger but just curious. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I guess my assumption, then, is that's been contemplated for these main estimates? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Nothing further right now.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you for clarifying that a bit more, to the Minister. And what I will say, and I'll leave it at this, is just, you know, we all heard from NWTAC when we were all new Members in this Assembly, and they are definitely vocal about everything that they are wanting from this government, and I really hope that the partnership deepens and becomes even more close over the next three meetings. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Minister of Finance, yesterday when I was asking her about evaluation capacity throughout the government, mentioned that the Department of ECC is working on building an evaluation capacity within the department. Can the Minister speak to that a bit, please. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I don't mean to pick on the Minister of MACA precisely on this, it's just I don't see how a quantitative measure -- it doesn't matter how many times you meet with these organizations it doesn't really demonstrate the depth of the partnership. It doesn't really demonstrate if -- you know, if people feel heard. And so it's just a comment to maybe improve that metric in the business plan however you might see fit. And if the Minister has comments, I'd love to hear them.