Kate Reid

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you to the Minister. I wasn't entirely sure.

So under the business plan, one of the actions to support economic activities includes supporting a forest industry development, and I note that over time -- sorry, had it here a moment ago.

Yes, I do. Okay, so in 2022-2023, it was $75,000. 2023-2024 it was $50,000. And now it's reduced again to $25,000. So I guess my question to the Minister is, you know, how are we going to support a forest industry with a diminishing budget line? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I'm assuming, yes, that's a yes, it's due to the merger and also the reduction of printing costs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So given that the department in their business plan has highlighted a great deal of sustainable livelihoods activities, partnerships, and programming under encouraging community wellness, I'm curious as to the difference between the revised estimates of 2023-2024 and the main estimates of 2024-2025, noting, of course, that it's an increase from the mains of the last fiscal, which is great but, yeah, just looking for the full story here, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister please explain the increase in the line item in 2024-2025 from the main to revised estimates and now here in the main estimates in 2024-2025 for the line item of environmental protection and waste management, what caused us to go so far over and is there continuing cost pressures? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I just want to confirm, from what I heard yesterday, making sure it's applicable for the department, is the intent to evaluate one or two programs every fiscal? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And, yeah, I suppose the real question -- and thank you to my colleague who just shoved a note in my face -- is what outcome are you seeking? The number of meetings doesn't really matter, right. What is the outcome that you want from these meetings, and I guess that's my question to the Minister. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, in the department's business plans on page 97 I'll give the Minister and staff, to flip to that, a moment one of the oh, gosh, what are we calling them actions under the mandate commitment of engaging the public service to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, coordinate processes, to support longterm fiscal sustainability is the development and implementation of a Employee Satisfaction Action Plan. That includes information gathering and policy initiatives.

So I can see kind of why that was slotted under there. I guess my question to the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to couch this question very much in the fact that I do not want to speak about bargaining. I understand the bargaining process has to go along its merry little way. But I do want to understand for the Public Service Act LT, how far along is that towards completion? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Got to keep things lively.

I also just note that we're up ever so slightly from the previous mains, so I was just hopeful that maybe that was a little bit of extra of, you know, human resource dollars paid for on Saturdays but if that's not the case, I'll be quiet. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, under the technology service centre chargeback, it details each department's chargeback recoveries to the TSC, currently estimated at in 20242025 at just shy of $41 million. So I recognize, you know, part of this is how we pay our hardworking TSC folks, and I'm totally happy that we do, but for the remaining approximately $28 million, that's quite a jump from the last main estimates. And I was wondering if the Minister could speak to why it's gone up by just close to $6.3 million. Thank you, Madam Chair.