Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think, with respect to the carry-overs, this is a conversation that has begun and has already been had. I think on that one, Madam Chair, I do want to wait and make sure I have all of the necessary information that is still coming to me, as the Member notes that there is a written question right now that is seeking quite a lot of detail about the state of our carry-overs and where we are at. I do think there is more to come on that, and I think it is still an important conversation to have. I am sorry that I am putting it off, but I do think it's important to actually...

Mr. Speaker, I hope we are ending on a good note because I absolutely agree with that suggestion. I will definitely go back to the department and ensure that we are making available through our channels and through partners in the community, such as the chambers, information about how to run a business, how to do the due diligence, and how to ensure that, when they enter into contracts with a new business, no matter where that business comes from, that they are doing so in a way that is going to be to the growth and the support of both of the businesses that are involved. Yes, I am more than...

It's a deposit, and it is a deposit that is regulating a relationship and a program between the department and an individual who is potentially going to immigrate here. Unfortunately, it is not a compensation mechanism. The compensation mechanism when an agreement between private entities goes awry is typically through the Department of Justice and through the court system or some other form of mediation or arbitration. Again, the service and the process of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment with respect to this program is to try to provide supports to the businesses that are...

The point of the program is to encourage, well, to encourage a number of things. This is meant to be a program that brings folks into the community who can fulfill our labour shortage needs, who can bring direct investment into the economy, who can come and help add dimension to the local business community. However, if, in fact, there have only been three occasions in the last 10 or so years where it got to the point where they were unable to meet that commitment by way of having their deposit forfeited, Mr. Speaker, really that is a pretty good track record, overall. Really, the reason it's...

I believe this program has been in place since 2009, and to my knowledge, we have only kept three deposits.

Again, yes, I am happy to make the commitment on my part, certainly, that we will make sure and put that information together. I recognize that it's an acute problem, perhaps, for our colleagues in the Health and Social Services field, but even more broadly than that, making sure that, if there are programs being run by human resources, that they are known and accessible to those doing the hiring in communities and in regions, particularly in health. That is critical, otherwise all the great programs that we might have aren't adequately being accessed. That is actually a specific issue and...

This year, there have been 24 interns in total. Of those, one went to the Department of Health and Social Services, in addition to which there were four who went to NTHSSA. They were scheduled to go there, but COVID-19 certainly has interrupted some of the processes that we would normally undertake to have interns recruited and placed.

I don't have the details about some of the different proposals. What I do have is some engagement that has come, frankly, from my other hat, from the diamond mines who are looking for opportunities to be innovative. Whether that is through renewable diesel project or others, I think I take the point that there are some ideas out there that are going to be innovative where, right now, if we're demanding proof of a 5-percent reduction as part of the application process, that may be a difficult target to be able to provide that advance proof of, if what you're trying to do is something innovative...

Fortunately, this is a policy-based item, so there certainly is opportunity to refine it as it has now rolled out and before any applications come in. Again, it's fairly early in its stages. The Member mentions the need for innovation, the desire for innovation. I have actually heard the same from industry, that they also want the opportunity to innovate, that they want the opportunity to access these funds, to be real leaders in this area. To the extent that that can be considered, I think that is a great opportunity. Again, the policy itself is not complex. It's not lengthy. It may very...

The accounts for this program were only set up as of March 31, 2020, which obviously falls and coincides quite a bit with what is happening with COVID-19. As of this point, with a few months, no, there have not been any applications yet to date.