Kate Reid

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So as a first-time MLA, I have noticed that in our regular work when we are broadcast to the public, both in our committee work and here on this floor, there have been issues with technical difficulties, audio/visual difficulties, and I was wondering maybe if the Speaker or his staff could speak to if any budget is contemplated in the Office of the Clerk for renewing the systems? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Sorry, Mr. Chair. And thank you, yes -- I'm sorry, I'm reading the 2022-2023 Actuals as being slightly higher than that. I was just curious. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I guess more specifically to my statement earlier today, what is the GNWT doing to fully support Canada's zero waste plastic agenda? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you to the Minister for that.

Switching gears ever so slightly and moving into wildlife, I notice that the contributions on page 106, caribou monitoring, remote sensing, monitoring and range planning, all of these line items are reducing. Could the Minister please speak to whether, you know, that's sort of just a cyclical nature of range planning and monitoring herds or if there's more funding that needs to be found in this area? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister of ECC explain how the GNWT is diverting as much plastic from NWT landfills as possible under the current regime? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you to the Minister. I wasn't entirely sure.

So under the business plan, one of the actions to support economic activities includes supporting a forest industry development, and I note that over time -- sorry, had it here a moment ago.

Yes, I do. Okay, so in 2022-2023, it was $75,000. 2023-2024 it was $50,000. And now it's reduced again to $25,000. So I guess my question to the Minister is, you know, how are we going to support a forest industry with a diminishing budget line? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I'm assuming, yes, that's a yes, it's due to the merger and also the reduction of printing costs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So given that the department in their business plan has highlighted a great deal of sustainable livelihoods activities, partnerships, and programming under encouraging community wellness, I'm curious as to the difference between the revised estimates of 2023-2024 and the main estimates of 2024-2025, noting, of course, that it's an increase from the mains of the last fiscal, which is great but, yeah, just looking for the full story here, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister please explain the increase in the line item in 2024-2025 from the main to revised estimates and now here in the main estimates in 2024-2025 for the line item of environmental protection and waste management, what caused us to go so far over and is there continuing cost pressures? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I just want to confirm, from what I heard yesterday, making sure it's applicable for the department, is the intent to evaluate one or two programs every fiscal? Thank you, Mr. Chair.