Deputy Minister Kelly.

Thank you. Are there any other questions under corporate management? Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to turn to page 74. I just want to make a general statement first. Page 74 has a lot to do with traditional lifestyle. Traditional lifestyle of Aboriginal people is extremely important. I've sat here for two times now, and there hasn't been any increases in the CHAP program, which is really important to an Aboriginal organization. I know that, when I was at Salt River and Chief of Salt River, we were always asking for increases to some of these areas. The CHAP program is also very beneficial to the Metis Nation and all Indigenous people across the North.

It seems like everything on this page has got to do with traditional lifestyles, and we do all these plans and strategies that cost us quite a bit of money. When you look at some of these lines and $50,000 to do a country food strategy and a plan to do sustainable livelihoods and an action plan, these dollars should be going to the actual groups that actually benefit from these programs. I find that so many times in government and programs that affect Indigenous or Aboriginal people, we always have to be, there's always a plan and a strategy with almost every department here anyways. When you only have $50,000, put it in with the CHAP program and at least you know it's going to the individuals in those programs. I mean how much study can we do with such little money? I just don't understand how things are sometimes done. If you were in business, they would never be able to make it. When you make business decisions, you don't do things this way. Everything's got to be studied, an action plan, a strategy. Doesn't anybody in the department actually make decisions? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you. Yes, we make decisions. We think outside the box sometimes. We try to be as creative as we can, but most importantly, we work with our Indigenous governments. We need to work with them. With ENR, we have co-management. We work with them. For the $50,000 and that request, I would have to turn to the deputy minister for further detail. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister Kelly.

Thank you, Ms. Kelly. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm glad that the Minister said he'll start thinking out of the box because someone's got to start thinking out of the box. I know that, when I was in other leadership, that was one of the biggest concerns was that CHAP program, and I think many times even in discussions, even in the last business plan that we did, we wanted an increase to the CHAP program and some of these other programs that affect the people that believe in the traditional lifestyle. That's most of us in the territory and especially small communities and regional centres.

I find that the funding is lacking in this area, and I want to know when we're going to look at this very seriously to increase the funding because traditional lifestyle is extremely important to the Indigenous people of the Northwest Territories, all people, and increases -- I've been looking at this CHAP program for, well, it's been 14 years now since I've been in leadership. It's always the same. We've always got the same amount with no increases. I just want to know when the increases are going to come into effect for page 74? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We're not going to put increases just to put increases in. We've made a commitment to our IGC's, our co-management partners, our communities to look at this CHAP program. We've started the process. We've made a commitment to have it done in four months, and we're bringing it to committee. If we find that we need to have an increase, then that's when we come back. Right now, we have as the deputy minister has said, we've identified other issues that communities wanted, and we started those programs now. That funding there has been part of our consultation, part of our work with them, but for further details, I'd like to go to the deputy minister. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister Kelly.

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Thebacha.

Madam Chair, I just want to thank the Minister for thinking out of the box. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Are there any further questions? I'm going to take a short recess here, then, and we'll resume with the same activity.

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I will now call the Committee of the Whole back to order, and we are still on Environment and Natural Resources, corporate management. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you. My understanding is that we give it to the Indigenous governments and they then work with their membership to get it. For clarity, I am going to turn to the deputy minister, if there is a pot of money that I am not aware of. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Deputy Minister Kelly.

Thank you. Member for Kam Lake.