There’s a decrease of $540,000 from last year’s Revised Mains to this year’s amount of money. There’s also an increase of $150,000 base funding for Arctic Energy Alliance. I guess that means the funding for the various programs that Arctic Energy Alliance runs has gone down, and I’d like to get an explanation of that.

Actually, before I go there, I’m really pleased to see that the base funding for the Arctic Energy Alliance has increased. I think they do a great job. I’ve mentioned several times in the House that I wish the GNWT would use them to develop an energy plan for us. Maybe with this extra money, we’ll be able to get them to do something for us and develop a plan.

However, that said, could I get an explanation, or could I get the numbers that make up the $1.070 million, which is the Arctic Energy Alliance contribution?

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Ms. Magrum.

She can repeat that.

Laughter.

Thank you,

Ms. Magrum. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I got lost after the first deduction and addition, but I accept the explanation. It sounds as though we’re getting the same money but it’s in different places, so that’s great.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Any further questions?

Page 11-21. Environment, Grants and Contributions: $1.270 million.

Sorry. Let me retract that and move back to the page we should be on. Page 11-19 has not been approved yet. So that’s Environment, Operations Expenditure Summary: $5.575 million. Thank you.

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources, Activity Summary, Environment, Operations Expenditure Summary: $5.575 million, approved.

Page 11-20,

Environment. Sorry. We don’t need to do that. Moving on to 11-21, Environment, Grants and Contributions: $1.270 million.

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources, Activity Summary, Environment, Grants and Contributions: $1.270 million, approved.

Thank you for your patience, committee. Page 11-22, information item, Environment, Active Positions. Questions?

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources, Activity Summary, Environment, Active Positions, information item, approved.

Page 11-23, Active Positions.

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources, Activity Summary, Environment, Active Positions, information item, approved.

Moving on to Forest Management, page 11-25, Operations Expenditure Summary: $26.536 million.

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources, Activity Summary, Forest Management, Operations Expenditure Summary: $26.536 million, approved.

Moving on to page 11-27, Forest Management, Grants and Contributions: $100,000.

I understand there was a printing error. There was a page — page 11-33 — that was in there by mistake, so just remove that page.

I just want to make sure we’re all on the same page. So how about if I restate: we’re at Forest Management, page 11-27. Thank you.

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources, Activity Summary, Forest Management, Grants and Contributions: $100,000, approved.

Moving on. Information item, Forest Management, Active Positions, page 11-28. Questions?

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources, Activity Summary, Forest Management, Active Positions, information item (page 11-28), approved.

Page 11-29, Forest Management, Active Positions.

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources, Activity Summary, Forest Management, Active Positions, information item (page 11-29), approved.

Moving on to Wildlife, page 11-31. Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you,

Mr. Jacobson. The motion is on the floor and being distributed right now. The motion is in order. To the motion, Mr. Jacobson.

Mr. Chair, I’d like a recorded vote.

Thank you,

Mr. Jacobson. And to the motion, Mr. Jacobson.

Yes, Mr.

Chair. These two

positions in the communities are well needed, in regard to the smaller communities and the jobs these provide for a few community members in the natural resources program in the department.

Thank you,

Mr. Jacobson. To the motion, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you,

Mr. Chairman. I talked to the Member about his concern. There is a position in Tuk that’s going to be filled. There has been some difficulty in filling the positions that are there, which is one of the reasons the deputy was talking about — and we’ve been talking about as a department — coming up with a way to have a training program to work with the small communities to give those people who may have a lot of on-the-land skills and other skills — but maybe not the academic credentials — an ability to get trained up to the point where they could provide some of these functions for us. At this point, my understanding is the positions are vacant and have been, but we do have a plan coming forward here. We’d like to possibly use some of that supplementary appropriation to try to work with the small communities.

Thank you,

Mr. Miltenberger. To the motion, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m in support of the motion that’s before us. I think the Minister made some good points about the possibility of a training program to try to fill these two positions. I understand they’re half-time positions, one in Paulatuk and one in Sachs Harbour. That would be, to me, an indication that we perhaps should keep the money where it is. I know the positions are vacant right now, but these are fairly new positions, if I can remember — last year, in fact, they were created. I do support the motion. I think the money should stay there. These are positions, I think, that even on a half-time basis will be beneficial. Both communities, I think, could use a renewable resource officer and the training that would go along with that position, as well. I’m in support of the reinstatement of that money. Mahsi.