Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I am bringing up our northern airlines. On September 10, 2020, the federal government and our territorial government gave the airlines $31.9 million, which we are really grateful for. This funding was intended to support northern airlines to continue essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The airlines provided essential services to the NWT residents, especially living in the remote communities which we represent.
I am glad that the federal government and our territorial government stepped up with this COVID funding as this will make the northern airlines continue to provide essential services such as medevacs or food resupply chain and providing medical travel for the people up and down the valley. The funding is meant to ensure that northern airlines can return to their full schedules, now; minimize layoffs; and stay financially viable during this long pandemic crisis that we're in.
This is not enough, to throw money at the airlines and make sure they are spending it for the right reasons. Nine point three million dollars was given to the Canadian North, Mr. Speaker. I fly that airline. You fly that airline back home to the Delta. At this time, I'm seeing no evidence of improvement of service. We give them that money. We fly in overcrowded flights, which people are already scared of getting COVID-19, travellers at greater risk, and not seven-days-a-week service. What's up with that? We're not even getting jet service, now. We're getting turboprop and smaller jets when we should be getting 734 service. We paid for it. We're paying for it. It's plus, plus, plus for them. They get government travel, medical travel. It's ongoing.
Nunavut also, Mr. Speaker, gave $24 million to Canadian North, so that is doubling up. Earlier this month, the Nunavut government assured Nunavut MLAs of their agreements that prohibit the airlines from using COVID-19 money to pay out bonuses. I want to make sure that their executives are not using it to do the same with our funding that we're giving them. Mr. Speaker, it is important to support our essential services sectors. The government needs to ensure accountability on how the money is spend. Later today, I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.