Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not sure what else to ask, then, if we don't really have a hell of a lot of responsibility. That will be it. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. When the furs go south and I guess because of maybe COVID-related issues and prices are down, will the trappers be compensated or will there be an increase in their compensation to keep them up to a level of kind of where they have been in the past? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. It's called wildlife and fish, and I haven't heard anything about fish yet. Being from Hay River, I can't go back there if I don't ask questions. I would like to know what percentage of this budget item here goes to the area of fish management, I guess is what I'm asking.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just on page 74, the community foods there, I see that, in 2019-2020, it was at $239,000; then it dropped down in 2021 to $50,000, and it stayed like that. What was the reason for that? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The other question I have is with respect to the monitoring and management is: is there any case law out there that's available, any challenges with upstream industries and that, doing work up there? Has there been any challenges from any of the Indigenous groups or the Government of the Northwest Territories to challenge? There's pulp mills or mining companies that may have potential damage for waters coming into the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.

My concern is that, when we lost the high rise, it displaced a number of people, and when people get displaced in Hay River, they are either on the street or they may not tend to move to Yellowknife or other northern communities; they tend to move south. That means that we lose some federal funding. The cost to accommodate people who are on the street is probably between $8,000 to $12,000 per month per person, which, if we took that, we could house four people. I am asking the Minister: what is her plan to ensure that we find some public housing units and rental units in Hay River for...

Thank you, Madam Chair. With respect to research and monitoring, what is the extent of monitoring that we do, and is it concentrated in a specific geographical area in the Northwest Territories? I suspect it's up and down the valley and throughout. The water coming into the NWT, we're going to see more contamination there, so I'm just wondering where we're doing most of our monitoring and where most of those dollars are going. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did not get any of these questions prior. I am just writing them as I am sitting here. I am trying to stay awake. Anyways, I would like to ask the Minister if her department has considered looking at the Mackenzie Place high rise to possibly purchase it and do a retrofit and use it for public and market housing or if any work has been done in that area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just looking at the industry there, it seems like we have not made a lot of headway. Maybe I am wrong, but I think over the number of years we have been kind of looking at forestry-type businesses that we really have not done a lot. I understand it's community driven, so I am not sure if we can do more or not. Anyways, I just want to go to page 84. Under contract services at $17,779,000, what does that entail, and where does that go? Thank you, Madam Chair.

If these units were to be acquired, can the Minister confirm if the department knows the condition of the units currently occupied, or would they come over retrofitted?