Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will just say for the record that I am always hesitant to appropriate money to MTS when it does have that established revolving fund, but I appreciate that this appropriation contemplates more than that in other labour relations capacities.

Our Standing Committee on Government Operations in its public accounts role will be taking a look at this and making sure the government is meeting its commitments to use the fund appropriately and to not use appropriations to support MTS, so I am putting the Minister on notice. I have no further questions apart from that. Thank you.

Thank you. So any changes or any development of tax credits that you would see in the mains normally, if we are to have those discussions, they will happen at a later date and any financial implications to this budget will be discussed at a later date. Can the Minister confirm that?

When will this House be able to evaluate those casebycase bases? Is this something we are going to see in the public accounts? Thank you.

Thank you. Is that also a function of case workers and income support and that kind of social services side of things? So are we getting into more than just the service centres and service operators but actually case managers and client officers who are working with people in impoverished circumstances? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, to one of the items the witness just provided on that list, marine transportation services, as we all know, a revolving fund was established for the purposes of supporting marine transportation services. I am wondering if it's appropriate to use that fund to support labour relations, as it relates to MTS. Thank you.

I would hate to start speculating, but does the Minister have any other suggestions for what it could be? It just seems like, if everyone is eligible for this tax benefit, then, if we are paying less into it, it must mean there are fewer people in the territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This department does not do any coordinating activities apart from what is contained under its own mandate; is that accurate? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, to clarify, this is something that the division is currently undertaking with their own staff resources, to develop this curriculum in conjunction with ECE? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, for resolving that identity crisis. I get where the Minister is coming from, but is there any plan in place to develop that that he can share with us? I understand that there is potential there, but, more than just a comment, I mean is the department working to engage the college in developing some sort of strategy or working with the college in the foundational review? Like, is there anything concrete here, or is this just aspirational at this point? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Okay, thank you. I acknowledge the Premier's response, and I understand that this fund is not moving during his tenure as Premier. I think that's a shame, because Members on the standing committee have made numerous requests that this funding be moved and increased, and that has not happened. It's constantly over-subscribed. Assessments of the funding over the past, I think, 10 years have shown that it's underfunded. We need around $500,000 in the fund; we haven't seen any increases to that. Again, it's not helping promote volunteerism, which seems at odds with the Department of Community and...