Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today about funds for small communities to bring them up to standard. In the budget address, Cabinet is looking at small communities. I think this is great. Some communities have facilities like arenas that were built 20 years ago with natural ice. Some of these buildings were made with future plans for artificial ice, but that has not happened to date.

Rae and Fort Providence are good examples of that. This government has put a lot of money into these facilities, but we see them sitting empty. Now, due to climate change and warmer weather, we have arenas opening in December and shutting their doors in March because of this weather. These buildings are unusable for nine months of the year, Mr. Speaker.

In the budget address, it was noted that there will be $1.4 million in initiatives for improving recreation and sports opportunities for communities. This investment in health and well-being for our communities was made in response to recommendations from the community governments and Northwest Territories recreation and sports partners.

Mr. Speaker, we are constantly hearing how we have to look at existing facilities rather than building new ones. Here are existing buildings, Mr. Speaker, which can be upgraded so they can be used year-round, not three months of the year. I will have questions for the Minister on this issue, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

-- Applause