Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I’ve been listening to the discussion here. To me, so we’ve got a 2006 report. I’m not sure if all of the recommendations followed up. There’s an amount of funding here that is made available to build capacity for these services. There’s a cap of $40,000 a year for applications. Maybe the problem is with the cap. I don’t know how often the cap has been reconsidered, but there seems to be a problem here with the program, itself. Reducing the amount of money that’s available does not seem to be addressing the need that’s out there. I guess what I’m looking for is a commitment...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Maybe I will just ask the next question a little bit more delicately. Are we breaking the law here in having a bigger amount in the fund than we are supposed to under legislation? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am still trying to puzzle over this. I guess, certainly from this MLA, there is a concern when we are actually reducing our contributions towards housing. We already had a debate here and a motion was passed about setting firm targets to ensure that we can get our housing out of core need or at least meet the national average over the life of this Assembly. When we are actually reducing our funding to the Housing Corporation, that is not the direction I want to be going in. This is not the direction I understood we were going in. This comes as a bit of a surprise to me...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Any complaints or issues from NWTAC with the reduced funding level? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks. I look forward to getting the list. That is all I have. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Appreciate the response from the Minister. Still didn't hear the words though, "caribou protection measures." I will try a different tactic here. Can the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources tell us what concrete actions have been taken in terms of habitat protection on the NWT side of the border in the interest of the Bathurst caribou herd?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. There's a number of reductions on this page that I'm wondering about. Program management and administration is down, I don't know, maybe $150,000. Land Use Administration is down over $100,000. Resource Management is down almost or over $300,000 from last year.

What's the rationale for these reductions, and how will that impact our ability to manage lands, stuff that we've inherited under devolution? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate getting that commitment from the Minister. The net metering is going to be within the scope of the Energy Plan. I know there are a number of solar projects that were installed here in households in Yellowknife over the last year. I am sure those people are going to be quite interested to hear that. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Is the department looking at other models for how we regulate oil and gas operations? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Glad to get that commitment out of the Minister. Any idea as to when we might see the business case? Thank you, Mr. Chair.