Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As of even today, we're meeting with the Tucho fishery, our staff is, but after March 8th, I think is hopefully when we can get in front of committee to explain where we're at. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is also under the line of commercial fisheries. I believe that's the industry support programs. The issue was brought to me by the fishermen, and I brought this up with the department at business planning. The issue is that this money is there to support the fishermen so we can get this industry going. Eventually, that money will be gone, I assume once the industry is profitable and that this sort of subsidiary isn’t needed. In the meantime though, it is needed.

The problem with it is that, after we approve this, it's going to take possibly months for this to go out. It's an ongoing issue when it comes to non-profits or these groups where we approve money and then it takes a long time for it to get where it's going. I know that we're not going to miss a paycheque. I know that the money's coming to us after April 1st. It doesn't take six weeks to get us paid.

Can we do something so that the fishermen can get this money that is coming to them April 1st, April 2nd, sometime sooner than May or June, when they've been getting it traditionally, because they use this money to gear up for the next season? They're already weeks behind by the time they get these payments because they're not using the money to gear up for the season. They're using what they have for rent and truck payments and that kind of stuff. Can we get the fishermen paid promptly this year? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. First of all, I met with some of the fishermen when I was home this weekend, and I thought that we'd have a winter fishery. I believe there would be a concern of mine going forward if that was to take place, but it doesn't sound like they're going to do any winter fishing this year. It is from my understanding talking to some of the fishermen, come April 1st when the new money rolls out, the fishermen can't get out on the lake until late June to do that part of it. We can have a look at this, but I always thought that the subsidiary was based on the amount of fish that was caught and that it was put out that way and not advanced in a manner based on fishermen or something like that. We can have a look at it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding is that they're paid for the catches from the previous year. Perhaps that's inaccurate, but there are some monies that they would prefer to get upfront. Maybe that's for the Northern Food Program. Maybe that's through some other program, but that's one of the issues that was raised with me because, even though they're maybe getting out in June, they have to gear up for that in April or May.

In addition, I have questions about the Community Futures. I believe that's where we are here. Southwest Territorial Business Development Corporation, I believe that falls under Community Futures. Looking at the most recent report I could find, from 2015-2016, I see that there are seven development corporations. All are funded by ITI except for the Southwest Territorial Business Development Corporation. I was wondering if the Minister could explain why that is.

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding is that the South Slave outfit is not asked to sign a contribution agreement with us when presented with them. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's good to see that they don't need the government's support if they're doing it on their own.

I have a question about SEED funding. In the business plan, there's a very scant support for this program. I know it's a good program. I know from anecdotal experience that it's a good program, but in the business plan it basically says we've handed out this much money in SEED funding, this many people have applied for SEED funding, but that's not really support for why we should approve SEED funding.

Does the department have any sort of substantial information that it can present to the committee about how many jobs have been created through this or how many businesses have been created or anything like that, any sort of substantial information? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know we track a number of these things, and, if we were to get a number from standing committee, I'm sure we can go in front of committee and give them all that information. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Maybe I'll talk to the committee about writing that down and sending it on out again. I’ve got a couple of minutes left. I'll talk about Growing Forward 2, I guess. I see that, in 2016-2017, they include the federal and territorial portions, $759,000. In 2017-2018, it was $1,032,000, I believe. This year, it's budgeted at $1.2 million. I know, if you look at the grants and contributions, the document that ITI produces, only a fraction of that money, less than half, goes out as grants or contributions to producers and to communities. I was wondering if the department could let us know what's going on with that other half-million-six, seven, hundred dollars that's being spent through Growing Forward 2. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding is we provided that information to committee. That leftover money is usually used for raw materials, travel, salaries, those sorts of things. We can have another look at that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding, under agreement with the federal government, we are only allowed to charge a certain amount of administration against this program. The rest of the money is spent out under the Growing Forward program as it is laid out. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have seen what the Minister has sent to committee. There are hundreds of thousands of dollars listed as "salaries and other." That is sort of what I am getting at. What is that? Can I get some more detail about what "salaries and other" exactly are? Thank you, Mr. Chair.