Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My apologies if I misspoke. I was speaking to energy research and analysis, $440,000, which is right beneath the $3.5 million for energy programs and policy development on page 388. So the description is renewable energy, monitoring data collection and testing. So that $440,000, is that also contribution to the Arctic Energy Alliance? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Speaker, both on the hustings and in this House, I've spoken about the NWT's need to evolve into a knowledge economy. That is the key to breaking the boomandbust cycle that prevents the North from transforming into the longterm sustainable economy we are all working so hard to build. Though this government avoids taking the steps required to achieving this, luckily, a group of Northerners is already taking the caribou by the horns, so to speak, in actively building our knowledge economy.

Since its inception in 2009, Dechinta Bush University Centre for Research and Learning has become a...

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the department for that clarification. I'm just wondering -- and that's what I assumed looking on the other page, energy policy planning progress, but it is curious that this line item is called energy programs and policy development.

So, this contribution doesn't include any policy development related to the Energy Plan? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I also have questions about the roll-up into energy programs and policy development. I'm just looking at the description where it says, funding to support the Arctic Energy Alliance and develop policy to support broad GNWT energy objectives. Can the Minister clarify if we are funding the Arctic Energy Alliance to develop policy or if we're funding them to deliver programs, or are we doing both? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. In the 20152016 revised estimates under computer hardware and software, there was no expenditure, and this year we're back to $30K. I'm just wondering what  we went from $54,000 to nothing to $30,000. Can the Minister provide some detail on computer hardware and software? I understand that's not related to TSC Services. That's contained in the chargeback line. So, if we could get more detail? Thank you.

That is fine. I will save questions for the Department of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr Chair. The Minister could ask the Sheriff's officers for more, but essentially, there are times when there are RCMP officers who aren't available in the courtroom to deal with certain circumstances. If there's not a secure custody in the courtroom, then frequently RCMP officers aren't present. If that's the case, then all court security responsibilities fall on the Sheriff's officers. If they're required to detain someone who is convicted or required to arrest someone for good order in the courtroom, the current legislation, there's a gap in the legislation, it doesn't enable...

For the data centres themselves, which would be in the area of most vulnerability if there are issues there, is that contained in the Public Works and Services line? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It's not really helpful I suppose, but are we to assume then we'll have status quo for the next -- for the life of this government or are we going to be looking at something -- I only say this because I know it's a complicating factor in our relationship with policing in the Northwest Territories. It was a perennial complaint at the RCMP and the business of court is sometimes frustrated by the lack of available RCMP members, as the department well knows.

I would like to see a more proactive stance than I guess we're not sure of what decision we want to make. And I appreciate that that's where...

Sorry. Thanks, Mr. Chair. Perhaps I was unclear. Do we also provide that service to the schools themselves, not just the school boards, but the actual schools? Thank you, Mr. Chair.