Caitlin Cleveland

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. No, I appreciate that. I think that travel within the NWT is very important to continuing business with the people of the Northwest Territories, but I think it's also important that we make sure that, if the remaining 20 percent is not being spent, it is spent on things that are important to the people of the Northwest Territories.

My next question I am going to ask to the directorate section, even though it has to do with, again, all divisions of the Department of Finance. I note that the Department of Finance and specifically human resources is tasked with...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. The increases to the NWT Housing Corporation really are quite exciting ones, because they have to do with the co-investment fund, which we on this side of the House are very happy to see. Outside of the influx of money for the co-investment fund, does the Minister foresee increases to the Housing Corporation contribution beyond that? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. There is a contribution here to the NWT Housing Corporation, and I am wondering if the Department of Finance has begun conversations about converting the NWT Housing Corporation to a regular GNWT department? Thank you.

I appreciate that people have job descriptions, and I will say that every single person that we came across fulfilled their job description. They fulfilled the mandate of their department. That's what they intended to do and what they are supposed to do. People aren't boxes, and they don't fit into boxes. People's challenges in life extend beyond one single box of one mandate in one department. When somebody presents with a challenge with housing, it quite often is not simply a matter of a housing issue. When somebody presents with a challenge of income security, it is not solely a challenge...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I spoke earlier about the challenges that an NWT resident had in accessing programs and services through the GNWT. Two-and-a-half minutes definitely was not enough time to go through the detailed challenges and frustrating challenges that this person faced in order to get some access and in order to get some resolution to some of their challenges. My point is, Mr. Speaker, that our programs and services, we spend millions and millions of dollars making programs and services available within the GNWT, but they are definitely not accessible to NWT residents. I...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'll be sure to ask the Minister some of those questions tomorrow. As far as the Mackenzie Valley fibre link and the cost of Internet, the Department of Finance, in my understanding, correct me if I'm wrong, sets the wholesale rate for Internet throughout the Northwest Territories using the infrastructure, and then companies come in and add on a retail rate for that. Something we hear about quite often from our constituents is the cost of Internet and the service that is provided. I'm wondering if the GNWT is, at all, discussing the wholesale rate and how they...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am happy that the Minister has seen a pre-screening of this, and I am wondering if this cultural training includes any form of trauma-informed care for staff? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to the cultural awareness training rollout, and if there are any additional budgetary line items specific to that or if that is considered complete for this fiscal year, and what GNWT employees can expect to see as far as that. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. One of the things that has come up quite frequently with committee is the conversation around travel. Now, this would be for everything to do with all of the divisions to have to do with the Department of Finance. Given that we are still in a pandemic and that many people are trying to only do essential travel outside of the Northwest Territories, does the Minister foresee actually using the department's travel budget during this fiscal year? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am wondering if, from the perspective of the Department of Finance, why it is important that the NWT Housing Corporation be a corporation? Thank you.