Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As with a number of Members on the issue of arts funding, the NWT Arts Strategy has been raised. This framework has not been reviewed in a significant amount of time. I'm wondering if the Minister can commit to reviewing that framework within this fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you. Similar to the early childhood program operator subsidy, is this program fully subscribed at this point? Is all the money getting to day home operators? Thank you.

Thank you for that clarification. My question is: it's $3.1 million. Does the Minister know where that's coming from? He has detailed the clear revenue figure. There must be some sense of where it's coming from. My fear is that certain parts of the territory are going to pay higher into this tax than other parts of the territory, especially with his somewhat cryptic statements in the budget address around lessening the impact. Who is going to be paying for this?

Thank you. So how is this program evaluated, I suppose? I mean, I have no problem with scholarships, but, if they are designed to bring people back to the North, how are we doing with that? Are we actually seeing the recipients of these scholarships returning north to work in this field in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In his budget, the Finance Minister spoke about new sources of revenue for the GNWT. I quote, "During 2018-2019, we will be developing detailed proposals to implement a land transfer tax similar to other jurisdictions. This tax will raise an additional $3.1 million annually and can be structured progressively by levying a smaller percentage on property of lower value to lower the impact on modest-income home owners."

I'd like to ask the Minister of Finance if he can provide more detail on the policy objective of this new tax proposal? Thank you.

I am looking for where I could see it in here. I understand the issue, but I did not understand where an average reader who is trying to connect the budget address to the main estimates could see this detail. I understand now. Are there any other areas of this department's budget that are not accounted for in the document before us, that we might have to be notified about?

I do want to thank the Minister and acknowledge that he is opening the door for the collaboration on this issue. One thing I haven't seen addressed in any of the proposals going forward is a contemplation of cannabis co-ops or compassion clubs, or things along those lines. We've seen models like that in the past, but has the government done any research into a cannabis co-op model? How will that be regulated? How would that be run? How would it happen safely in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you. Can the Minister, then, commit to talking to artists who are looking for this additional funding? I don't think I am doing it justice, clearly. This makes a lot of sense to me, but can the Minister commit to involving artists in this work so that it is not just a departmental analysis of total arts funding? That is not at all what is required here. We need to talk to the artists who are looking for additional support. Can the Minister commit to doing that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Finance about what is being contemplated for the rollout and regulation of our cannabis products. How is our mail order system going to work? Is this something that is going to be licensed and regulated in the Northwest Territories, or are we relying on the federal government in other provinces to do that licensing? Thank you.

Is support to northern performers money being provided to festival organizations to bring in southern performers to the Northwest Territories to perform at those festivals? Thank you.