Kate Reid

Sorry, I am also at the loopy hour of the day, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

I am just noticing here as I look through the grants, contributions, and transfers under economic diversification and business support that, really, you know, year over year there is not a significant amount of growth. And so could the Minister speak broadly to some of the grants and contributions and whether any of them are wildly oversubscribed? And I guess that's subjective but she can make an assessment, I suppose. I am just wondering if these monies are staying static year over year, if that means that they are successful...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And changing topics slightly, still in the economic portion. I know that in the business plan it's previously stated that there is preliminary work on the economic vision to 2035. Has that work been continued, put forward as something that the department wants to press forward on, or if there's any additional information around the economic vision that the Minister could share at this point? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, also in the business plan I noted that there's mention of -- and I will read it so you don't have to reference the page number -- improving accessibility of NWT arts program streams, and the business plan noted that the measure was for fewer points of entry within the GNWT. Happily, yes, we've moved everything over from ECE into ITI and now one department rules them all.

So I am curious about the ways that arts overlap with the other functions of the department, as the Minister knows. So I guess my first question would be are there ways that the Minister can...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Nothing further for me.

Okay. Sorry, I am just scribbling this down, Mr. Chair.

In addition to those two pieces, I did note as well that the grants and contribution policy had many mentions throughout the business plan and that things were going to be posted -- the work is going to be posted on ITI's website imminently. Can I have an update on that work too, please, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Does the Minister have an estimate of how many weeks or months that might be? Thank you.

No, fair enough. And I am sure my colleague down the way has questions about that. So I will cede my time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My mistake. They're great people to talk to.

Mr. Speaker, I hazard to guess that all bylaw officers in the territory would rather help stray animals than to destroy them. Can the Minister commit to sharing resources to put interest -- and I think he has, but can he commit to pathwaying communities that have changed their bylaws such that communities that want to change their bylaws could then have support to do so with learning from other communities who have? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I feel like that might have been me in past Committee of the Whole but thank you to the Minister for that.

On a completely different note, Mr. Chair, the NWT geological survey is under this activity, and the staff, and perhaps this is not the same as NTGS, or is it? It is. Okay, thank you. Sometimes the acronym soup gets lost on me too.

So SCEDE had the pleasure of attending the NTGS not too long ago and meeting with staff and getting to understand some of their projects. And one of those projects that was explained to MLAs by staff was the carbon capture study and how that works, as best they...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. After raising the questions in the House with the Minister of MACA, as well as asking written questions, I had several folks reach out to speak with me about animal welfare programs offered to NWT communities. Most Yellowknifers are familiar with NWT SPCA and the services that they offer. NWT SPCA, the Tlicho Animal Rescue Society, the Hay River Animal Shelter, and Fort Smith Animal Shelter are all compassionate advocates and champions for animal welfare and work to re-home, spay, neuter, and treat hundreds of stray dogs and other pets each year.

A group that may have...