Katrina Nokleby

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I do appreciate that the Minister does not have a crystal ball to tell us what's going to happen in the future. But I know that I think I can even speak for my colleagues that this is an area where obviously we would support, I think, increased funding.

Another area where we would support increased funding is under the SEED program. And one of the reasons I really enjoyed like the SEED program is that it's not specific to any type of industry, and really anybody can access. And I very much try to promote people when they tell me they have a business idea that they...

Good afternoon Madam Speaker. As everyone is aware, Cabin Radio has been a staple of the northern media scene for the last five years. Launching in 2017 with an online format, Cabin made an application in August 2019 for their FM license to begin broadcasting over the airwaves. On Wednesday, 42 months after submission, the Canadian Radio, Television and Telecommunications Commission, or the CRTC, informed Cabin Radio that Yellowknife’s economy could not sustain a new commercial FM radio station therefore ending Cabin Radio’s bid for FM status.

One of the most shocking things about this decision...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I like this area of the budget. It's really the place where given my or really the Minister's reply that I gave to the budget address today, we can tell that the nondiversification of our economy is quite concerning with the sunsetting of the diamond mines. So my first question is going to be around the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. I note that in the estimates for 20232024 that it's at $1.2 million, and prior to that we saw actuals of $488,000.

So can the Minister or the department please let us know what that significant increase of money is for and maybe just a...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question is just that there seems to be a trend of under spending in this area, and I'm just wondering if the Minister or the department can explain why that is and if that is the case, then do they need to maybe start thinking of changing how they're doing the budgeting then if they're not spending here? Thank you.

Actually, this might be a little bit of leeway as well but since my colleague brought up the security at these apartments and it is my understanding the security that has been jointly hired does look after several of the apartments, not just one building in particular. But it is my understanding that the more specialized firm that had been hired earlier on coming from Alberta was is no longer being contracted and it's back to northern security firms. Could the Minister or department confirm if that is truly the case? Thank you.

Yeah, just quickly something my colleague said made we wonder. If we want to get out of leases, because we're trying to get them into smaller or sort of get more landlords involved in our portfolio, for lack of a better word, but yet we have a housing deficit, I don't understand then why we wouldn't just turn around and lease more spaces to have more housing units. Why do we need to remove leases to add new leases and not just have more spaces as needed. Thank you.

I'm glad to hear that. And honestly, I think it would be good to maybe get some messaging out. And I don't know that I mean, it's a busy session, but it might be out there already, but I do think there is still perception that program has been shut down for now.

My next question is around the homeownership repair and mobility modifications program. And so it's my understanding that this has to do with helping people with disabilities and such live within a noninstitutional setting or at their home. You know, again very low amounts of money. We have an aging population. I get that there's sort...

Yeah, and I appreciate that. I think you have to sometimes and I keep saying let's move it 80 percent instead of always waiting for 99, which is unattainable. So I do like that idea of what I'm hearing and then it being an iterative process that, you know, the findings will be looked at. I guess under that, my question or comment would be, you know, if we are finding that people and I'm assuming this is people if they're coming in to get this money, that it's potentially going to be oversubscribed I'm assuming. And so if that is the case, and there's more want than we have money for, would...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So if I am understanding that right, a portion of the money that was meant to go directly to these retrofits or repairs was then used for administrative purposes by the department? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And it doesn't sound like much has changed in the conversation at Roundup since I went in 2020, which was the same things that I heard from the mineral resource sector. They liked our robust regulatory system. They wanted to invest in the North. And a key piece I think that we need to also remember is that when we go to seek investment, we can tell people that their money spent in northern Canada will actually benefit people. You will literally create lifechanging projects as we've seen in Imperial Oil up in Norman Wells. So I do think that that is a key piece that we...