Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Madam Chair. No, I'm encouraged by those numbers, and we always look forward to try to do our best. But I'm glad to hear the Minister is on student summer hiring. Mahsi.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Excuse me, two minds think alike here. I was going to ask a question on the NWT environmental audit, but the deputy minister beat me to that. I was simply going to ask how is the audit being utilized to leverage additional federal funding in preparation and adaptation in our NWT territory, but I'm satisfied with the answer given earlier by the deputy minister. I'm glad to see they're taking a proactive approach. They're using all the tools in the toolbox to leverage federal funding. I will save my next question for the appropriate activity. Mahsi.

Madam Chair (audio).

Nothing further, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm encouraged and we, the GNWT, depend on our federal counterparts, as you know, for many sources of funds for various initiatives. Is there other opportunities that the department is pursuing within the business plan for this fiscal year to access further federal funding?

Take climate adaptation for example, we are the victims of climate change, no doubt, and it's been said by the Minister a number of times that our global environment is warming 4 percent faster. So to address that, there should be ongoing discussions with climate change adaptation. I'm just wondering...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think this is the appropriate activity to ask this question on the bilateral nature fund agreement with the federal government.

Given the expiry of this current agreement, if so will it be sufficient to cover the GNWT's commitments; how does the ECC anticipate funding future protected areas? I guess there's kind of like two combined questions there, Madam Chair. Number one, is there going to be more efforts being made to renew the bilateral nature fund agreement? Then if so, are we going to have sufficient funds there to pursue protected areas? Mahsi.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just looking at the business plan here and similar to what I had mentioned to the Department of Infrastructure as we conclude the budget season in preparation for the summer student employment season, would the Minister provide a summer student plan and appendix to the business plan here in the coming weeks, coming months, so that our students could have something to look forward to within this department? Thank you.

I'm glad the department is looking at the governance review. And I would probably subject what types of downsizing measures -- is land disposition being looked at? Are you downsizing the assets, the land, the footprint, to shrink your operating costs? Is some of the redundant assets being looked at maybe on the international community as selling them off, those types of actions on reductions there? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thanks to the Minister for that update there. And I look forward to a favourable reply later on in the year and wish the Minister the best of the lobbying efforts to reinstate those funds. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question is I'm kind of looking at the top of the list there for contributions advancing hydro public engagement, then has no more money here, and then looking down, energy corporation lease, lease agreement, energy, NWT energy efficiency projects. Is one of these, or maybe throughout the other pages, is there a program that is undergoing discussions and possible funding for the Deline hydro project? Thank you, Mr. Chair.