Caroline Wawzonek

Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly committed to "increase resource exploration and development" in the territory. This priority reflects the importance of the mineral resource sector to our economy both today and into the foreseeable future. Our efforts to support the mineral resource sector are further reflected in our commitments to develop regulations for the new Mineral Resource Act; to develop and implement regional mineral development strategies; and review our Mining Incentive Program, socio-economic agreements, and our territory's fiscal regime around mining. Later today, I will...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the Member already listed quite a number of the cost-saving measures that are being quite actively considered. One of the functions and sort of one of the expectations on the secretariat staff right now is, in fact, to go out and provide some of the background for potentially reducing those costs through things like an RFP process for the isolation centres and revisiting a consideration of, in fact, who is being paid for, whose travel is being paid for.

I did want to note, Mr. Chair, it's not as simple as just drawing a line and saying we will not spend money or we...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The portion of the funding that is coming from the ISSS is for the technology component so, more specifically, to include a procurement of 1,641 Chromebooks, as well as Turbo Sticks, which is meant right immediately to provide an ability for students to access online school resources and to help reduce the costs to their families. There is also a reserve of 750 units that is also being procured so that, in the event that they may need more of those units quickly, they are available. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs can speak to the distribution of it. I suggest it go to her, please. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There have been quite a number of funding pots with respect to the Canada-Northwest Territories Safe Restart, which is the dollar funding that is coming towards the COVID secretariat. Funding under this agreement was to be used for testing; contact tracing; data management; healthcare system capacity; vulnerable populations; municipalities, on that one, I will note with respect to the municipalities, Mr. Chair, this is one area where we were required to put in a 50-50 contribution to match the amount that was allotted from the federal government, so that is one area where...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do not have any information. I don't have those numbers in front of me, but I would ask that you check if the deputy minister might have those numbers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This was not an easy negotiation. If I may, I happen to be aware of some of the history on this was and back in February of 2019 was the first round of an attempt. The Department of Justice sought, I believe, nine positions under this program, but they managed to get five, which was, I believe, one of the first increases under the First Nations Policing Program that we've seen in quite some time. I think that's probably all I can say at the moment, Mr. Chair. I have no doubt that the Department of Justice would vastly prefer to see their funding come under this...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't have any comments or response. Thank you.

Yes I do.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes. The Member actually identified a couple of the reasons why the money was not spent, quite outside necessarily the control or exclusive control of the government. With respect to the commitment that he is seeking, I would suggest that we turn this to the Minister of Infrastructure, please.