Caitlin Cleveland

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'll be sure to ask the Minister some of those questions tomorrow. As far as the Mackenzie Valley fibre link and the cost of Internet, the Department of Finance, in my understanding, correct me if I'm wrong, sets the wholesale rate for Internet throughout the Northwest Territories using the infrastructure, and then companies come in and add on a retail rate for that. Something we hear about quite often from our constituents is the cost of Internet and the service that is provided. I'm wondering if the GNWT is, at all, discussing the wholesale rate and how they...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am happy that the Minister has seen a pre-screening of this, and I am wondering if this cultural training includes any form of trauma-informed care for staff? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to the cultural awareness training rollout, and if there are any additional budgetary line items specific to that or if that is considered complete for this fiscal year, and what GNWT employees can expect to see as far as that. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. One of the things that has come up quite frequently with committee is the conversation around travel. Now, this would be for everything to do with all of the divisions to have to do with the Department of Finance. Given that we are still in a pandemic and that many people are trying to only do essential travel outside of the Northwest Territories, does the Minister foresee actually using the department's travel budget during this fiscal year? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am wondering if, from the perspective of the Department of Finance, why it is important that the NWT Housing Corporation be a corporation? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I do have some suggestions for different Ministers for later this week that I will work through with them as the week goes on. I will say that, without the policy and the process in each department, in order to essentially force it, it's not going to happen. Unless each department sets up policies and processes that give them cross-reference to be able to talk together and empowers their public servants to work together, it's just not going to happen. It's not just a matter of saying to people, "Talk to one another," because their job descriptions and their...

Can the Premier give us an idea of what direction has been given to departments to enable and empower front-line staff to work together?

[Translation] It is the government's responsibility to ensure its program and services are accessible to the people it serves. [Translation ends]

The GNWT spends millions on programs and services, but they are not accessible to the people who need them, and people are falling through the cracks. 2020 was a challenging year. Yes, Northerners are resilient, but Northerners have been fighting the social challenges highlighted by 2020 for a long time.

For many, life feels like an exhausting game of snakes and ladders where every roll lands them farther down the game board. We live in a territory...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Two of the line items in here under the grants section are the aviation sector support and the wage top-up, both of which were very well received from the business community. I know that they were both received as contributions from the federal government, and I am wondering if the Department of Finance is talking with the federal government to continue that, given that, one, aviation isn't going to continue, and two, for the wage top-up, the wages that people are receiving, topping them up to $18 an hour is a bare minimum of something that we need to be doing...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Are there any budgetary requirements for this fiscal year for that program to be able to roll out? Thank you.