Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the Minister. For the NWT Child Benefit, now that it has been increased, which I greatly support, the data that has been increased, we see that it has gone up to $2.2 million, and that number is again staying consistent. Is all of the cash going out to as many people as it can, or are there some people who are not benefitting from it because they are not filing taxes? Do we have an uptake problem, or is this just as good as it is going to get for lower income people out there? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the Minister's opening comments, he spoke to a $400,000 appropriation to enhance capacity to deal with labour relations issues and ensure that the GNWT is wellpositioned in an increasingly complex environment. Can the Minister elaborate on what that appropriation is going to accomplish? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am looking at the cost-of-living tax credit on page 154, and the amounts look to be stable between this year and the last fiscal year, but a decrease from the actuals in 20162017, so I am just wondering what was the cause of that decrease? Obviously, it is fewer people receiving the benefit, but does this number only change when fewer people are drawing from it, thus representing fewer people in the Territories as a total? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the Minister for that response. That is good news. Is there a cost to this program? Are there resources dedicated to it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to follow up on my strong support for the NWT Centre for Geomatics, as well. The Minister just mentioned working with Aurora College, and I am just curious if he can elaborate on that point a little bit further. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Okay, does the Premier believe that this fund promotes volunteerism? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Noting the clock, it is the latter; but I'll allow the Minister to answer. I want to make one more comment that, on this business of the honour of the Crown, the honour of the Crown, you need to be a Minister of the Crown to make a promise on behalf of the Crown, not a public servant. I don't think the Minister grasps that fully, but a Minister of the Crown can hold the honour of the Crown. That is how that happens. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Making best use of limited financial resources, in the words of our august Finance Minister, I wonder if we can prioritize this as a mandate commitment. It is a requirement of our funding formula. MACA itself, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has done this analysis. When will this government meet its own requirements that it has established for itself to support our communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So just turning back to the original line of questioning around this exception that was made for Cassidy Point: is the land where those leases reside settled territory? Thank you.

That gap, when we started our term, was $32 million. How much has this government invested in closing that gap? I am looking for a dollar figure, Mr. Speaker.