Rylund Johnson

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't need to get into a very large debate about, perhaps, ITI reviewing some of its mandate and restructuring some of its departments. I'll leave that to another time. Can I just get a clarification: in the 2019-2020 actuals for the NWT geological survey, there's actually a $1.3 million decline. Can I just get an explanation for that? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, it's our job in this House to look at the large systemic issues that affect all of the people of the NWT, but it is also our job in this House to look at the small incremental changes that can help those people. I believe the GNWT, in order to become a much more adaptable public service, needs to change the way it operates. In order to create an adaptable government, we require a four-step approach to approaching the smaller problems:

identify where people are struggling going about their daily lives;

identify the next smallest thing that can be done today to mitigate that struggle...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Perhaps, I could just get a clarification then. I'm looking at page 217, and I see we added one position in the Beaufort-Delta and three to headquarters. I believe the three to headquarters are for the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Act implementation, but can I just get confirmation of what the four positions being added to the mineral and petroleum resources unit are for? Page 217. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I get an update of what the MAARS system costs? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a comment that I would be supportive. The BDIC can't necessarily take on that money, but the GNWT can. If there is some way to make sure those loan deferrals happen, it has to happen through the GNWT, and I am happy to see that. I am very eagerly awaiting the film policy, and I have spoken previously about some sort of film producers' incentive policy. My concerns right now with the film industry rebate program is that I'm not sure it's necessarily convincing anyone to come here. It's a good program, and it does encourage a little bit of northern labour. The fact...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I get an update on whether there are any plans to extend BDIC loan deferrals? I understand that that will end this fiscal. I know that there have been requests to continue that program of deferring loan payments until after the pandemic. Can I have an update whether the Minister is doing that or willing to? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. I also have heard good things from constituents for the bookkeeping money that went out. I have also heard that it's much easier for them to access SEED than a lot of the CanNor and federal funding that went out, which is part of the reason we gave them money to do their books, to get them in line with the sometimes very onerous requirements of getting money out of the federal government. Does SEED have any sort of tracking there of how much we use SEED money to then leverage federal money? I think there are a couple of metrics you could use, but my understanding...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Perhaps trying not to rehash the entire debate about the tourism act and whether it has accomplished its goals. I think the problem with going to NWT tourism is that part of the reason we brought the tourism act in was to get a lot of people licensed who weren't licensed. I know that's still a problem. I have constituents who run tourism operating businesses who are not licensed and probably don't want to go talk to ITI. As part of that view there, can the Minister look to how we are bringing people into the licensing scheme? Charging them $500 doesn't help. s I will...

Thank you, Madam Chair. It's hard to get past me. My first question is: my understanding is that the $3,800,000 we see for SEED this year is actually quite oversubscribed and that we have found some internal money within and managed to spend more than is in the budget, for which I am very happy. I think SEED is one of our best programs and probably is some of the best return on investment we get for creating business in the NWT. Can I get an updated figure of how much we have disbursed in SEED funding over this last fiscal year? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have no doubt that there are spinoff economic benefits from a large southern paddle company or a hunting outfitter coming up here and running their lodge. I actually talk to a lot of the lodge owners who run them seasonally, and they're great businesses. I just question the justification for us actually giving them money, especially when a lot of them are historically quite competitive in running good programs. I look forward to seeing those numbers. I have made this request before. On to another point, though, we waived the $500 tourism operator licence fee for this...