Caroline Wawzonek

Mr. Speaker, I recently had the opportunity to address the Northwest Territories Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists at their annual professional development symposium. The theme for this year's symposium was Building a Resilient North, which underscores a collective commitment to overcoming challenges and fostering innovative solutions for a sustainable future for residents. Today, I want to highlight the pivotal role that strategic infrastructure plays in securing the future prosperity of the Northwest Territories.

The strength of our economy and our future prosperity...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, we are right now spending what we're I mean, in terms of talking about energy savings and energy rebates, the Government of the Northwest Territories spends almost $8 million a year in terms of supporting territorial support, power supports. There's several million dollars a year that goes to seniors' home heating subsidies. There's $30 million a year that we've put to keep power rates low just recently, notwithstanding others. So I mean, I don't disagree that getting folks to a position where they're not as reliant on diesel is certainly one that, I think...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, one of the significant areas or significant reasons for change is simply the fact of the growth in the public service. So as there are more public servants who require various items or technological items, that requires almost inevitably more work from the TSC on those items. So that is a significant reason for the growth.

Secondary to that, there has been some growth in terms of the licensing fees that are also spread across these dollars and, particularly, in regards to cyber security and the services that we rely on to maintain cyber security. That has...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, there have been some challenges in terms of the funding in this program in terms of, for example, whether or not the programs that have been funded or the projects that have been funded are the right scope in size or whether they're perhaps not delivering as we all would hope them to. So at the very least, this is likely a situation where there would need to be a review of the program done and some supports put in to ensure the money would be spent properly. Now, as to whether it goes back in or not, that will be a question, I think, for the finance...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I don't have operational level of detail regarding the housing corporation's work in front of me. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, let me turn that one to Amy Burt, please.

Thank you, Madam Chair. There is. It is a financial management board policy. I don't have it in my main estimates briefing binder, but I can certainly try and pull it up if the Member's interested to hear more. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, that's an excellent idea, not one that I can say I can speak to whether or not right now. Actually, well right at this moment that was not the scope of the work but let me take that one away. That may be an opportunity to see that we do, in fact, combine those systems. Thank you.

Yes, please.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the Arctic Energy Alliance is one area where we were looking at what options there might have been for some reductions in line with other opportunities looking for reductions in other programs and projects, and this is one there has been a slight reduction as a result of that review. Thank you.