Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we also, through our client services and community relations, were able to deliver the Mining Matters curriculum in four schools last year, in the Sahtu in particular, and there's some intention that this unit is going to be preparing to deliver some programming in other schools, in particular Fort Simpson, Fort Providence, and Fort Liard. Are we rolling out the Mining Matters curriculums in those schools? What is the status of the Mining Matters curriculum and is it rolling out? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would have to get a little more detail on that how that's being rolled out, because I believe that's kind of a cross-departmental issue with Education, Culture and Employment, and the amount of input that we have in it. I don't believe it's part of the curriculum across the Northwest Territories yet, but it is being rolled out in that particular region I think in the coming school year that you're talking about. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I guess I'll wait for that information to come back at some point from the Minister, because that would have been my line of questioning, that in the client services and community relations line item in the budget on page 206 we have actually seen a small decrease since 2015-16. If we are actually going to work toward increasing and building this curriculum in other jurisdictions, I would think that we would need a slight increase in that pot and not a reduction. Until I hear further from the Minister, I will leave it at that. Mr. Chair, if there are no further questions, then I will have a motion to move. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Next we have Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I just want to go back to this line item under grants, contributions, and transfers. It is the NWT Chamber of Mines. This is just a continuing contribution. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and smells like a duck, this is core funding, essentially. It sort of sticks out to me. I don't see similar contributions, say, to Northern Farm Training Institute for agriculture that would enable them to attend agricultural conferences and do training and so on. Or I will just pick another one, Ecology North, when it comes to renewable energy or climate change. How can the Minister convince me that this is not really core funding? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not certain I can convince him otherwise. This money is for specific projects, so every year it is allocated to specific projects. Last year, they have actually spent more than the money they were allocated. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I don't want to prolong this, but can the Minister then commit to provide similar funding, then, to an organization like NFTI so that they can participate in agricultural conferences and so on as part of the agricultural strategy? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We don't have that detail, but I believe we already give them grants and contributions and it is used for some of this stuff. We will get that information for the Member. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Schumann. I see no further questions. Seeing no further questions or comments from committee, please return now to page 206, Industry, Tourism and Investment, mineral and petroleum resources, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $14,712,000. Does committee agree? Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee defer further consideration of the activity minerals and petroleum resources under the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment Main Estimates 2017-18 on page 206 at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Motion is on the floor and is now being distributed. The motion is in order and is not debatable.

Question has been called. All those in favour. All those opposed. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, committee. We will now proceed to the next activity, tourism and parks. The activity description is found on page 209, the activity detail is on page 210, and related information items are found on pages 211 and 212. Does committee have any questions or comments on the tourism and parks activity? Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am looking at page 211. I see that there are a number of funds that seem to do similar things, for example, Tourism 2020 and Tourism Industry Contribution. Has there been any thought put into amalgamating these funds just for the sake of efficiency? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Tourism 2020 is for original marketing support, so that is the reason we want to keep them separate. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Schumann. Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Could the Minister tell us what kind of an evaluation, if any, is done on the value of the spending in each of these tourism areas, such as 2020, product diversification, industry contribution, skills development? Thank you.