Denny Rodgers

Thank you. No, and I appreciate that. I think the information that was relayed to myself and certainly the information that we read in the media certainly said that the programs were going to be shut down. If, indeed, the college is looking at either working through NGOs, working with Indigenous governments to continue that program as it exists but maybe through different bodies, I'd certainly be interested in hearing that. But I guess, then, Madam Chair, then if the -- you know, if that's the case, if they are not indeed committed to shutting it down, and I would have hoped that, you know...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I just have a couple questions, one on the Aurora College programs and services.

Obviously, as you read through this document, you can see they, you know, highlight the 21 community learning centres. It speaks about the college providing community-based adult literacy and adult-based education programs. So given the recent announcement by the board of directors for Aurora College that they'll no longer be supporting the adult learning centres, I'm wondering if the Minister now has a plan on how that -- the department will be taking on that mandated item to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that. And, yes, I'm aware of the battery system that's currently in place. I understand we're looking to get quite a larger one in there. And I'll have -- I'll save the -- my wind questions for another time. But there's also I'm aware of, I believe, two biomass applications in for Inuvik as well to look at possibly putting the -- a couple of municipal buildings on biomass as well. Is the -- has the Minister been informed of this and, I guess, is the department aware of that project as well and how that, again, will affect power consumption...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my address to the budget today, I mentioned the $5.5 million solar ray that the town of Inuvik are currently installing. Good for the town of Inuvik, as I had said, but I wondercan the Minister responsible for the NWT power corp give an update on how that system or what has been done to integrate that system into the current grid and what effects that may have on the power grid in Inuvik. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that the chair rise and report progress.

Thank you again, Mr. Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 275-20(1), 2025-2026 Main Estimates, the Department of Health and Social Services and, time permitting, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thanks for those answers, and I'm good for right now. Thank you.

Thank you for that. Thank you, Madam Chair. And I'm super happy that we have all these ologies that we provide to our residents.

I'm not sure if you have this number, but can you kind of out of that -- you know, it's a fairly significant increase obviously to that line item, and you mentioned forced growth and you mentioned the medical association new contract. Does the Minister have kind of a breakdown of what kind of made up the majority of that increase? Thank you, Madam Chair.

So no cuts to positions, then, and no positions that weren't -- that were vacant then, that aren't being filled; can I just get clarity on that.