Bob Bromley

Mr. Chair, I’m just wondering where we’re at in response to recovering from the episode of moving ECE for a few years and now back under this Minister’s leadership. What is our debt situation and how are we doing with collections? If I could just get an update on that area. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will give the Minister a chance to get his seat there. I do appreciate the Minister’s support for agriculture under the economic diversification business support side of things. I know he had a bit of a peak experience with the Polar Egg move. I just want to explore the Growing Forward Program a little bit. I understand it’s being renewed, Growing Forward 2. Of Growing Forward 1, what proportion of the funds – I don’t remember how much it was – was allocated to contributions to other parties and what was spent with our own programs internally, agricultural programs...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. This government talks fiscal restraint in the first two years of the mandate, before program expansions in the third and fourth years. We will have $4 million more in our federal ALBE funds to coincide with our return to funding, apparently, in response to human needs.

Again, will the Minister advance his case to provide the essential complementary support to make sure there are no gaps in these various programs of support for ALBE students? Mahsi.

Mr. Chair, I have a last question on that aspect. Are we regularly or do we routinely, at some interval, contact the YWCA agencies that would be expected to maintain waiting lists so that we are aware of what they’re hearing and seeing on the ground? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to do a little follow-up there. I think this fund is very much appreciated and it is a real struggle. I know the Minister is aware of that and I know the outfitters have been working hard to try to diversify, as the Minister is well aware. I’m sure that’s been helpful, but the challenges are clear.

I agree that this government certainly encouraged these outfitters to develop in this way and this government is responsible and failed in their management of caribou. So there is some responsibility here and I’m sure that’s part of the consideration as we support...

Thanks for the Minister’s comments there. I hope the Minister will report to committee on what was achieved with the $2.5 million expenditure this year.

Unfortunately, ALBE and upgrading students are not eligible for student financial assistance. SFA, as it’s called, recognizes that people going to college and university need room and board, but apparently ALBE students don’t have these needs. With all this programming being funded to get people back to school, why is student financial assistance not available to adult learning basic education students? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don’t think it’s any surprise that we have a waiting list for public housing and housing support. Certainly in the Yellowknife area we have a couple of offices, and Yellowknife Housing apparently has a list of 160 or so, also the YWCA has another list of 150 or so. I don’t know if there might be overlap on those at all, but I know these are real. These are exceptional, these are recent and the staff are saying something is going on, we don’t see this sort of thing. What do we do to monitor a waiting list and what can the Minister report on now? Is there any insight yet...

I know we’ve got a plan underway for working on some of the issues at Prelude Lake Territorial Park. I’m just wondering if this budget will deal with the implementation of the results of that plan. Also I’m wondering what the results of the public has been. I understand consultation is coming to an end fairly soon. I’m wondering if the Minister feels they have had a good response, the word got out there that this plan needed to be looked at. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to welcome Weledeh resident Madeline Holloway, daughter of Chris and Claire, and also her aunt Amanda Mallon, all residents of Weledeh.

That’s all I had on this page. Thank you.