Caitlin Cleveland

Mr. Chair, I think I've already identified that this work is already underway. I think the Member knows the answer to his question, and I absolutely value what he is getting at here, and he is getting at that he would like to see more positions in communities, and I understand that. In addition, there's also a remote work policy as well that I hope that we as a government can use. I can also speak to the fact that ITI is also in the process of using that for positions that were traditionally in Yellowknife and people wanted to be able to work from communities, and so I would like to take the...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, it's difficult to put timelines and to put cornerstone outputs on these without working together with our partners. I think that part of these documents being so successful is that they have to include everybody's voices, and everybody has to be able to see themselves in it. So to start with, with outputs without actually defining where we're going to go on this path together and what our common goals are, I think would be unfair. And so I hear, I think, the Member's desire to see something sooner than later and to really be able to drive momentum and...

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. It's 8 to 1. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, there's multiple streams. There's streams that are for people who are sole proprietors that own their own business. There's streams for organizations. There's streams -- a multitude of different streams. There's streams for Indigenous governments. And so my suggestion would absolutely be for people to reach out to their regional office if they have a project that they would like to see go forward, an event, or especially if somebody has an economic development idea they'd love the support of seeing through.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. And thank you to the Member for the clarification. So the mineral and petroleum resources office that's there has five staff. They work in concert with the mineral and petroleum resources division that is based in Yellowknife, and they also have close working relationships with the regional office as well. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would definitely like the opportunity to see a lot more entrepreneurship across the territory, especially ensuring that we're supporting the development of entrepreneurship in our small communities.

With the subsidiaries that currently fall under Prosper NWT, they employ roughly eight full-time positions annually, and they cost Prosper NWT about $1.3 million a year. And so one of the goals that I have throughout the term of this Assembly is to work with the very skilled board members of Prosper NWT, who bring a lot of entrepreneurial experience...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can confirm that I have reached out to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and although departments don't currently have a specific program like this at this time, ITI is working with ECE along with other departments to determine what supports are available, how they can use the tools in their toolbox to ensure that we are responding to the needs of businesses in the Sahtu region. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to interest free loans through Prosper NWT, they do not have currently the authority to offer these to businesses. However, this is definitely something that, through this all-of-government approach to looking how we can respond to this situation, we are considering all tools that are available to us in our toolbox. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some businesses start up and quietly happen from people's living rooms. And so I would love to know exactly who wants to become an entrepreneur and ensure that they have the support that they need. But I can certainly commit to providing the Member with any information we have, especially when they relate to BIP'd companies and entrepreneurs. But any information that I am able to provide the Member from both ITI and Prosper NWT, I will certainly be happy to do so. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within the Deh Cho region, ITI spends about $1.3 million, and that's divided up between community futures to the tune of about just over $200,000, through the community transfer initiative to the tune of about $150,000, SEED contributions at roughly $734,000, economic diversification using the northern food development program at almost $57,000, the Canadian agriculture program as well as other various contributions account for almost $165,000 as well. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.