Total grants and contributions, $11.753 million. Agreed?
Agreed.
Moving on to the next page, active positions, information item, 12-33. Any questions there?
Agreed.
Moving on to page 12-34, lease commitments – infrastructure. Again an information item.
Agreed.
We’re on 12-35, information item, Fur Marketing Service Revolving Fund. Agreed?
Agreed.
We’re onto 12-36, again an information item, work performed on behalf of others. Mr. Yakeleya.
Mr. Chair, I want to find out the issue of analysis of field samples that we don’t have any budget. Can I ask the Minister in terms of this item here: analysis of field samples?
Mr. Yakeleya, could you point out what item you’re talking about on what page?
Mr. Chair, I’m quoting from page 12-36. Are we not there?
Mr. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We don’t have an agreement finalized yet for this year and, according to the rules of the main estimates, we can’t put it in here until it’s signed off and agreed upon. So that’s why there’s nothing there this year. Through you, Mr. Chair, I’ll ask Ms. Magrum to give more detail on this area. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Magrum, go ahead.
If you look at both pages for the work performed on behalf of others, typically other than when we have multi-year agreements in place, the budget dollars are reflected in the revised estimates once we’re in that current year and we have the signed agreements in place.
For the record, that was Nancy Magrum, director of shared services. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Could I say that there are two other areas here that don’t show any dollars. Is that the same type of scenario with the federal government on the funding arrangements?
Minister of ITI.
That’s correct, Mr. Chairman. Those dollars have to be confirmed so that we can include it. They will probably show up next year.
Next I have Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Perhaps a similar situation, I’m not sure. I’m wondering about the Agricultural Policy Framework Agreement. I see we had funding for the last couple of years. I’m wondering where we’re at with the development of that and if we’re expecting it to be renewed this year.
Minister of ITI.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We do have a going forward agreement which has been renewed this year. I guess the potential is up to... The total amount in the going forward agreement is for $3.2 million over a four-year period.
So the past couple of years have been laying the groundwork for that, perhaps. That’s a question. Do we know how we will be spending those dollars? Maybe I could just get a sense of where we’re at with that and the role the Territorial Farmers’ Association has had, if any, in developing that.
This I guess has been around for quite a few years. This is the latest extension. We have met with the Territorial Farmers’ Association and there’s a whole host of initiatives that potentially could be funded through this agreement. I guess we say “potentially” because it’s quite a rigorous paper process to access the funding. Some of the initiatives include small-scale foods, northern agri-foods, commercial game harvest, traditional harvest, inter-settlement trade, environment, Bison Strategy, national strategic initiatives. That’s what we’re looking at there.
Are those funds that the public can apply for? Is that an onerous process for the GNWT? Is that the process for GNWT to apply for? If it’s the public, is there assistance for the public with that onerous application process?
It depends on the initiative. So, for example, the small-scale foods, members of the public would apply on that. Some of the others are only for, I guess, industry types or government or communities, I would expect.
How do we get this information out to those that might be interested, be they industry or community people?
Our regional offices will be providing that information to the communities. We have met with the TFA and set up that process for doing so.
I’ll just ask, it sounds like the department is well along on this. If there are appropriate public alert mechanisms for the different... It sounds like there are different programs or funds, small-scale foods and so on might be a general public thing, so there would be a different way of getting that word out. The Territorial Farmers’ Association might be really plugged into this and so on. I just ask that the department make sure that publicizing these opportunities is done in an appropriate manner for the clients.
More of a comment. Would you like to reply, Mr. McLeod?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s our intention to do so. If the Member has any suggestions, we’d appreciate that as well.
Page 12-36, Industry, Tourism and Investment, information item, work performed on behalf of others.
Agreed.
Page 12-37, Industry, Tourism and Investment, information item, work performed on behalf of others, continued. Mr. Yakeleya.
I just want to ask the same question as on the previous page on the programs that don’t show any funding for this year. Is that similar to my other questions on the previous page?
Minister of ITI.
That’s correct.
Thank you. Just on the Rare in Nature we have main estimates of $250,000 and then you go down to $100,000. I’d like to ask the Minister the reasons for the decrease in those numbers.
I guess that’s a direct reflection of the downturn in the economy. The production of diamonds was down and the sale of diamonds was down. So, consequently, the revenue collected from the certification program was down as well.
Page 12-37, Industry, Tourism and Investment, information item, work performed on behalf of others, continued.
Agreed.
Page 12-38, Industry, Tourism and Investment, information item, work performed on behalf of others, continued.
Agreed.
Return to page 12-7, Industry, Tourism and Investment, department summary, operations expenditure summary, $51.752 million.
Agreed.
Does the committee agree that we have concluded the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment?
Agreed.
With that, I would like to thank the Minister and his witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, could you escort the witnesses out?
At this time I would like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Services if he has any opening remarks. Mr. Michael McLeod.
