Good morning, Members. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Minister of Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, the infrastructure that supports transportation has always been crucial to Northerners, to enable us to grow and develop our economy, and to help create opportunities for our residents to find success. Transportation infrastructure has always been at the forefront of enabling Northerners to grow and develop our economy, and never has it been more important in guaranteeing our future growth and prosperity than today.

The opening of the all-weather highway between the Town of Inuvik and the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk on November 15, 2017, is an example of what collaboration between all levels of government can do to have our voices heard in Ottawa.

Expanding our transportation system with the opening of the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway No. 10 helps us connect residents to new social and employment opportunities, stabilize the cost of living in the territory, increase our resiliency and adapt to the impacts of climate change, and provide better access to natural resources. The role our partners play in helping to shape the Northwest Territories today and into the future cannot be overstated. The Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway No. 10 reflects the dedication of many people who have worked to improve the lives of our residents, and contribute to building a strong and prosperous Northwest Territories for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, Canada’s first highway to the Arctic Ocean is bringing significant benefits to the people of the Beaufort Delta Region, and global attention to the Northwest Territories.

The official opening was a success and included the attendance and participation of the Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette; the federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Mr. Amarjeet Sohi; the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, Ms. Caroline Bennett; and the Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Our Premier, a number of Ministers and Members of the Legislative Assembly, and other territorial, Indigenous government and community representatives also attended.

Mr. Speaker, this new highway is connecting residents and communities with each other, as well as to new opportunities. In its first few months of operation, we are seeing traffic volumes in line with what we had expected.

The Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway No. 10 is providing more opportunities for family and friends to connect and share experiences together. The highway has also been instrumental in the creation of new relationships, and participation prospects such as youth and adult sporting tournaments, hockey, badminton, and volleyball, to name a few. It allows families to take advantage of activities at the swimming complex and other facilities, all of which contribute to healthy lifestyles.

The Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway No. 10 provides opportunities for increased consumer choice by providing improved road access to other communities. Increased choice in goods and services should translate into an improved cost of living, better access to health care, and other important benefits. Mr. Speaker, investments in northern transportation infrastructure help to diversify economic and social opportunities for people of the North. Working with Industry, Tourism and Investment, the Department of Infrastructure is committed to helping businesses in the Beaufort Delta Region capitalize on the economic opportunities created by this project.

In recent months, the number one tourism inquiry from potential visitors to the Northwest Territories relates to travelling the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway No. 10. The Film Commission has seen an increase in requests to film along this unique northern highway connecting Canada from coast to coast to coast. The potential economic impact will be positive for the people in the Beaufort Delta, with film crews using local services and hiring local skilled crew members.

The Beaufort Delta is rich in oil and gas reserves, and the new highway will provide more cost-feasible opportunities for potential development in the region. The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation is currently studying the feasibility of natural gas development in the region, and should natural gas extraction be viable, the development of this resource could provide clean energy security, employment opportunities, and support a sustainable economic future in the Beaufort Delta Region.

Mr. Speaker, there are also important scientific contributions relating to the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway No. 10. The Northwest Territories is a leader nationally and internationally in the area of permafrost study and in contributing to the discovery of knowledge focusing on climate change.

The Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway No. 10 will increase our resiliency in adapting to the impacts of climate change and provide better access to natural resources. The continued expansion of our transportation system will help us to connect residents to new employment, social and cultural opportunities, and help stabilize the cost of living for all those who live and work in the Northwest Territories. Nation-building and infrastructure projects can happen today in Canada’s North, much as they did in previous generations. The partnerships that we continue to build will help the Northwest Territories move forward to become a far greater partner in the Canadian economy, and give our residents the opportunity to achieve economic self-determination. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Masi. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, that Minister's Statement 19-18(3) delivered by the Honourable Alfred Moses regarding the Aurora College Foundational Review progress be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed?

---Carried

The Aurora College Foundation Review Progress is now moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Masi. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we MLAs from Hay River have a tradition, a tradition that started three Assemblies ago, and I'm truly honoured to be a part of it. I speak, of course, of the tradition of standing up in this House every four years and congratulating Hay River's own Brendan Green for making the Canadian Olympic biathlon team. This is the third consecutive time that Mr. Green will represent Team Canada at the Winter Olympics, which opened this morning in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Mr. Speaker, this is a monumental achievement and cements Mr. Green's legacy as one of Canada's greatest biathletes of all time. After strapping on the skis for the first time at three years old, he began training in biathlon at age 9. At 16, he set his sights on the Olympics. After years of unwavering dedication and training, he made his Olympic debut in 2010 at Vancouver. He was again selected for the 2014 Olympics, and he achieved Canada's best-ever result in one of his events, and was the fastest Canadian in numerous others.

He helped make Canadian biathlon history in 2016 when he anchored his relay team to bronze for Canada's first-ever relay medal at the World Championships. He has brought tremendous pride to Hay River, and is part of a group of biathletes that have raised the calibre of the sport across the country and raised Canada's profile on the world stage for biathlon. He brings pride to our entire nation.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Green should truly be looked upon as a role model. Not for his achievements, but for how he achieved them. I recently read a quote from him about the secret to his success. He said, "There are no secrets. It's about getting the work done, putting your head down, and grinding it out."

Mr. Speaker, truer words have never been spoken, and Mr. Green is living proof. Mr. Speaker, would the House please join me in congratulating and cheering on the pride of Hay River, Mr. Brendan Green. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Masi. Best of luck to all Northern athletes at the Olympics. Masi cho. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. A Legislative Assembly e-petition has been started asking that some of the funds raised through the Western Canada Lottery program, which now go entirely to Sports and Recreation, be used to fund arts activities. This issue was also raised during the recent public hearing on Bill 1, the Western Canada Lottery Act. At that hearing, the MACA Minister left open the door a crack to develop a definition for recreation, but only in consultation with the sports and recreation groups. So how can we go about improving our government's investment in the arts?

Later today I will table recent correspondence from members of the arts community and the ECE and ITI Ministers. ECE says it is responsible for skills development, arts creation, and presentation, and ITI looks after business support to the arts, including marketing and promotion. ECE reports it provides about $2,000,000 annually to support arts and heritage organizations and individuals. The funding is split with five grants and funding programs and $600,000 in project grants being supplied through the NWT Arts Council. ITI states it supports arts initiatives to the tune of $1.6 million in 2016-2017 through a number of programs.

The NWT Arts Council was completely underfunded to meet the administrative load of its oversubscribed programs, and has not had an increase in its GNWT contribution in 10 years. Other arts programs are still being administered separately. I recommend that the Ministers of ECE and ITI examine structural changes to merge all film, craft, and arts programs under the NWT Arts Council so there is a one-stop-shop approach that also has adequate capacity. This shop, or this office, would manage both the operating and granting budgets, and bring a coordinated, mutually supporting focus to bear on activities from across artistic sectors. It should be the vantage point for accessing other funds, including those from foundations, but most importantly the many and generous federal funding programs that are out there.

I will have questions for the Minister of ECE about how we can bring the greatest efficiencies and focus to bear on using and leveraging the funds we have in increasing our investment in this growth sector of our economy that also creates significant well-being and preserves culture. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently, I heard on the news that the Government of Canada was wrapping up the public consultation in its review of the country's criminal justice system. During the review in the NWT, some were saying that the territorial system incarcerates people with addictions, disability, and poor mental health, where it should be offering them treatment. Mr. Speaker, the news article spoke about how their view is focusing on issues such as delays in the court system, better support for victims of crime, and decreasing the number of marginalized and vulnerable people in jail. According to the article, decreasing the number of marginalized and vulnerable people in the jail needs to be the focus of us in the NWT.

It is my understanding that, when people come from a trauma situation, it sometimes leads to their addictions so they can cope with the difficult issues in their life. Trauma could be from loss, grief, or effects of the residential school systems, as some examples. During the trip to visit the treatment centres, we had the opportunity to visit Guthrie House, part of BC Corrections, which provides residents with a unique program that helps them deal with their trauma and addiction.

We had the opportunity to speak with the residents and they talked openly about their lives, trauma, and their addictions. What I found very interesting was their opening conversation piece when a new inmate comes in: "What happened to you?" Not: what did you do wrong? Powerful words, I would have to say. Mr. Speaker, most people end up in conflict with the law as a result of trauma, addiction, or mental health issues. Our system focuses on punishing people for misconduct and not treating problems like addiction and trauma.

I would like to see residents be sent to treatment facilities, but sometimes a person ends up in jail. With this in mind, why can't we use the Guthrie model up north to help them deal with their trauma and addictions while they are in there? It is really interesting to hear the residents talk about how they want to heal themselves, and this model helps. It is about providing the necessary tools of peer support, therapy from psychologists, additional counselling, and anger management classes, to name a few. Presently, our approach does not seem to be working. We need to do something differently. I think the model would be a great start. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Justice later on today. Thank you.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I talked about dealing with addictions. Today I want to talk about prevention. Here in the NWT we know the harm alcohol does to residents and communities, but you may be surprised to hear that more people were hospitalized in Canada in 2015-2016 for alcohol, the harmful effects of alcohol, than for heart attacks. This is one of the findings of the Report on Alcohol Harm in Canada published last summer by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

The report concludes that provinces and territories with higher alcohol sales also have a higher prevalence of heavy drinking. The NWT is part of this trend. The definition of heavy drinking is downing five or more drinks in one sitting at least once a month. Heavy drinking costs residents their health, even their lives, and it is costing the government hundreds of thousands of dollars in hospitalization costs.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, my grandmother used to say, and prevention in this case involves some straightforward changes. One is to reduce the open hours of liquor stores. The report shows that, when liquor stores are open more than 10 hours a day, there are notable increases in both impaired driving and alcohol-related hospitalization.

A second way to reduce alcohol harm is to increase the retail price. The report says that a 10 per cent increase in cost results in a 4.4 per cent decrease in consumption. In the NWT, we could choose to index alcohol costs to inflation and adjust costs for alcohol content. The aim of both of these measures is to reduce consumption. We must also follow most provinces by setting a minimum price for alcohol.

A third possibility is to have clinicians screen patients to spot harmful drinking patterns. The screening is followed by a brief counselling session aimed at reducing consumption and refer to additional care if necessary. Where this approach has been tried, it reduces hospitalization costs with an estimated $4 return on every $1 invested. The Canadian Institute for Health Information has developed a new indicator that tracks hospitalization entirely caused by alcohol. It can provide data for evidence-based decision making of allocating resources in the short term and monitoring the effectiveness of prevention and treatment programs over the long term.

The key is to connect policies around alcohol sales with a harm reduction approach. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mahsi.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I rise again today to express my respect and appreciation for the dedicated people who keep community fire departments operating in the Deh Cho region. These people undertake training, volunteering their time and risk their lives to keep their fellow citizens safe from harm. They are on call to work at any time of the day or night and often in the harshest winter weather conditions.

In addition to fighting fires, volunteer fire fighters in the Deh Cho communities such as Enterprise and Fort Providence also serve as first responders to emergencies on the highway. As if it weren't enough, today I want to pay tribute to the community of Enterprise for another notable achievement. On January 10th, the hamlet was recognized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as the first community in the Northwest Territories to achieve official FireSmart recognition.

Mr. Speaker, the momentum that led to this milestone started in the spring of 2017, when Enterprise won $500 from FireSmart Canada for a wildfire community preparedness day event. This event prompted the enthusiasm of the community and leaders and volunteers and resulted in establishing of the local FireSmart committee. The committee conducted a wildfire hazard assessment and created a FireSmart plan for Enterprise. The local volunteers went to work participating in the community, a wide cleanup of potential volatile fire hazards from the community's boundaries.

Mr. Speaker, the summer of 2014 was the worst wildfire season in the NWT in 30 years. It reminded us that wildfires pose a serious threat to our communities. I want to acknowledge and congratulate those individuals in Enterprises who took the initiative to make their community a safer place to live, including, my apologies if I mispronounce the names, the FireSmart committee: Tammy Neal, SAO; Blair Porter, fire chief; Brandon Kimball, volunteer fire fighter, FireSmart and community liason this summer, Brandon Kimball, Michael Kimball, Nicholas Kimball, Lynn Ecoheena, and Jimmy Carpenter. Also involved were Leslie Steed, the wildfire risk management coordinator, and Amber Simpson, wildfire prevention coordinator. These dedicated folks have made Enterprise an example of how small communities across the NWT can reduce the risks posed by wildfires. I want to join the Minister of ENR in congratulating them on their achievement. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the issue of project planning and reviews, both are essential tools to achieving project goals and objectives. Mr. Speaker, the construction of the new Stanton Territorial Hospital, a public/private partnership project. The pre-mortgage construction phase is currently under way and creating a significant amount of benefits.

Capitalizing on these benefits is also essential and expected of this government, Mr. Speaker, more specifically in the area of accumulated apprenticeship hours by the Northern Trades Profession individuals and trainees. The NWT Apprenticeship Trades and Occupational Certification Strategy 2017-2022 is a strategy that is designed in creating benefits from this project.

It will be gratifying to reflect on project completion day on the career differences the strategy has made for the individuals who are currently employed. Mr. Speaker, later, I will have questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mahsi.

Masi. Members' statement. Member Yellowknife North.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak about our royalty regime. I think we recognize that, while we are working toward economic diversification, for now the NWT economy relies significantly on mining.

Aside from the training and jobs that mining provides, we benefit from the royalties and taxes that industry pays to the government, but how are royalties calculated? Are they consistent from one region to the next? How transparent is industry regarding what it pays? How effectively does government manage its side of the relationship? Are we being transparent enough? Mr. Speaker, a recent presentation on this subject certainly grabbed my attention. The report "How To Lose a Billion Dollars" comes from a new movement called Publish What You Pay. This is a global network of civil society organizations that work towards transparency and openness in the global resource sector, including royalties and taxes.

Along with other industry representative groups, they launched the Resource Revenue Transparency Working Group in 2012. Their work with government resulted in the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act in 2015. The resulting website lists mining companies and the payments they make to governments in Canada, including Indigenous governments.

This new openness by the extractive industry has resulted in improved transparency and accountability. It contributes to effective legislation and a stronger, more trusting partnership between industry and public governments.

This was the focus of an address at the recent Roundup conference in Vancouver. Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, cofounder of Reconciliation Canada, spoke about the importance of positive relationships and sharing between Indigenous people and the mining industry. Figures from the NWT Chamber of Mines show that companies in our region already have that focus. Our diamond mines have provided over $5 billion to Indigenous business; over 26,000 person-years of northern employment, half Indigenous; and over $100 million in community contributions, not to mention taxes collected by all levels of government.

Mr. Speaker, industry is doing its part. It is government that should be doing a better job. We currently do not provide an annual report compiling details of royalties, taxes, or other payments made to various levels of government. We should offer a concise report summarizing those figures and outlining the benefit of mining in the North. This would offer clear accountability and important detail to Members of this Assembly and the public. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, we are developing our own Mineral Resource Act as we speak. Northerners need to be confident that we are gaining our fair share of the pie when it comes to resource development. Let's make sure we continue to build respectful, accountable, productive partnerships through open and transparent accountability. I will have questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, economic development opportunities in Nunakput are difficult to come by. My constituents have told me that they are struggling to find work, contracts, and opportunities. While the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway is expected to bring some economic benefits to Tuktoyaktuk, my other communities of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, and Ulukhaktok need jobs and a sustainable economy, as well. Our communities are filled with skilled, hard-working people, and we are a thriving, productive workforce if there are opportunities created and supported. Government programs like the Small Community Employment Support Program are needed to build upon the skills and strengths of our communities.

Nunakput offers the world a truly northern experience unlike any other place in Canada. We have our on-the-land tours, traditional harvesting practices, and traditional art, music, literature, dancing, and languages. The Government of the Northwest Territories' investment in these fields is not only an opportunity to foster straight business growth. It is also a way to cultivate the knowledge economy to secondary or post-secondary exchange students and to research and new ventures in scientific communities.

Also, Mr. Speaker, our culture and incredible people are the key to creating a resilient future for our region, which is also valuable to visitors and new friends from around the world. The more people who experience the Arctic first-hand, the more people who will return to the Arctic and understand the need to protect its landscapes and support its peoples.

Speaking of tourism and the northern experience, we can learn from our neighbours in the Yukon. Their famous Sourtoe Cocktail, which has garnered international attention, generates at least $80,000 in revenue each year and has been on the bucket lists of many. It is unique, distinctive, and unforgettable.

Mr. Speaker, as the Premier has said, we need economic development opportunities. I am making myself available to work with the government and our local leaders and businesses to identify what investment opportunities exist or could be created in order to provide support for entrepreneurs so that our residents can chart their own paths to self-sufficiency and create local jobs. We also have suggestions to help the government break down requests for proposals on any public works into smaller pieces to allow for small businesses to be able to compete on goods and win contracts, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the traditional economy plays a major role in my region. I believe we need to set an example of Indigenous and local knowledge that the Government of Canada will recognize, as well as governments around the world. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I spoke on the importance of the arts and the need for further investment, but let it be known that that does not take away from my deep admiration for those who participate in sport, physical activity, and recreation. It is on that note that I would like to give special recognition to those Northerners who are participating in the largest display of athletic about in the world, the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Sport brings the world together in celebration of excellence.

It is with the deepest pride and greatest pleasure that I congratulate our northern athletes, Brendan Green, Jesse Cockney, and Kevin Koe, who will be competing for Team Canada at these Olympic Games. Mr. Speaker, Hay River's Brendan Green, who my honourable friend from Hay River North spoke of earlier today, will be competing in the men's biathlon event, while Yellowknife's Jesse Cockney will be demonstrating his abilities in skiing and cross-country skiing, and though our legendary curler Kevin Koe now lives in Alberta, he will always be one of our own.

Enduring and thriving in winter are traits that all Northerners share, but it takes a unique set of skills to be able to translate that into a level of athleticism that these three individuals will be demonstrating on the world stage. We can be assured that their legacy will keep them as champions and role models in the eyes of Northerners for generations to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I called on the government to pursue new major projects that will create jobs for the hardworking people of the Mackenzie Delta. Today, I want to continue on that theme of employment, but at the other end of the scale, the small initiatives and training opportunities that can supplement the benefits of major projects.

Residents of Fort McPherson have an idea. They have told me that prospector training like the sessions government supported in Yellowknife and Hay River last year would deliver a useful skill boost in the region. In its mandate, the government commits to supporting Aboriginal governments to build capacity in dealing with mining-related activities, and we have heard many times from Cabinet that resource development is critical to local and territorial growth. Mr. Speaker, look at Cabinet and staff's recent attendance at the AME Mineral Roundup in Vancouver, for just one example.

These are exciting times and exciting opportunities, Mr. Speaker. To take advantage of that, I would like to see the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment collaborate with Aboriginal governments in the Mackenzie Delta to bring prospector training options to the region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I will have questions later today.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I speak today about the passing of Elder Violet H. Beaulieu of Fort Resolution. Violet was raised in a mission school, where she lived until she married Jonas on January 12, 1953. Violet was a very loving, dedicated woman who raised a family of nine. She also was involved in various community-focused and youth-oriented initiatives, and she worked on both committees and councils in Fort Resolution.

Violet was born in Old Fort Rae on April 5, 1932, and, sadly, passed away on October 20, 2017, at age 85. Violet was a very healthy elder, but, unfortunately, she was killed in a car accident. Violet was predeceased by her husband, Jonas; her three sons, Stephen, Maurice, Gregory; her brother, Charles; and her granddaughter, Delta.

Violet is survived by three siblings, Marlene, Stuart, and Marguerite; six children, Mildred McQuinn, Gladys Morin, Lucille Harrington, Brenda McKay, Larry Beaulieu, and Myra Pizandawatc. Violet loved spending time with her 13 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and one great, great-grandson who is also the grandson of our Speaker.

Violet was a devoted wife and mother. She was a role model and an inspiration for all who knew her. Violet was a very strong person. I visited with her on many occasions and could listen to her speak for as long as she wanted to speak, but she always was kept busy and felt she needed to do something and was always on the go.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my condolences to Violet's family and friends and all of the people of Fort Resolution. Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Our condolences go out to the family, as well. Masi. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce my partner, Janice McKenna, owner and operator of McKenna Funeral Home, and with her is Mr. Todd Reinholt of Edmonton. He is a specialist in grief and healing grief. He presented a public seminar on that topic in Yellowknife last night. Mahsi.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about employment in Nunakput, and my questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Mr. Speaker, my first question is: what has the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment done or is willing to do in order to help existing Nunakput culture become a source of employment and revenue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of ITI has worked extensively in all regions to promote these exact things across our territory. In this particular riding, the department has two economic development officers in his riding, one in Tuktoyaktuk and one in Ulukhaktok. They are on the ground there in the Member's riding to promote our programs in the region and be able to facilitate and steer clients to areas that support funding that suits their needs for their local region. The SEED policy is there to gear towards regional community applications, and I think it is a great program. If there are any other questions the Member has around that particular issue, I will gladly sit down with him. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, my second question for the Minister is: what has the government done so far to recruit and train or involve locals in the tourism industry?

In particular, as of late, I think the big tourism opportunities that have been there locally are around the cruise ship industries. Our staff have been in there the last two years when these ships come into the region and support economic development in the region and tourists spend their money. Our staff is there to help facilitate that. I think we have actually even used our programs to help facilitate providing opportunities around business opportunities with such a large influx of people who will come to shore when these boats come to town, but as I have said, we have our two economic development officers who are in the region to help facilitate these sorts of things going forward, not just around the cruise industry, but other types of tourism, be it hunting or guiding and these types of things, and we will always reach out to help facilitate that.

That is very useful information. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister work with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation in order to create or build upon our community's employment potential within tourism and the creation of a possible deep-water port or small craft harbour?

I would gladly sit down and have a discussion with all of the leadership around the potential of a deep-water port in the Beaufort Delta region. I know it is something that is clearly on the minds of people in the Tuktoyaktuk community for sure. I have had casual conversations about that and how we can try to initiate and move that forward and how it can actually stir more economic development in the region and for the territory as a whole, depending on our approach to it.

I am sure it is on the federal government's mind as well, around sovereignty issues for the region and protecting the coastline. As we know, we have the largest coastline in North America, and a big chunk of it is in the Member's riding, so I would gladly sit down and have that discussion.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister's openness in willing to work with Indigenous governments, as well as other departments in the GNWT.

Mr. Speaker, earlier, I spoke about the Yukon's Sourtoe and how little things like that generate revenue in the Yukon, and Mr. Speaker, my final question for the Minister: is the Minister willing to donate a toe for a better knockoff of the Yukon's famous cocktail, which could potentially create revenue for generations to come? Mr. Speaker, please consider a Minister's toe versus a stranger's toe could generate a large difference in revenue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

That is a weird question, but anyways. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

I think I will defer that question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. He toes the line more than I do in this Assembly, but I believe his toe might be cheaper than mine, so the upfront costs would be a little bit better and revenues would be higher. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know how I'm going to match that. Mr. Speaker, today I talked about Guthrie House and inmates who have trauma and addictions and that. My questions are to the Minister of Justice. In regards to dealing with inmates with trauma and addictions, can the Minister please tell us what the department does to help inmates deal with these matters while they are incarcerated? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Justice.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no doubt that many of those who do end up incarcerated do have issues with trauma and addictions. I can advise that Corrections staff have attended training and workshops on trauma-informed practices to assist them in working with inmates who have experienced trauma, which would be a pretty high percentage of those who are incarcerated.

I can also advise that, along with facility psychologists, Corrections has an addictions counsellor on staff at South Mackenzie Correctional Centre, and traditional counsellors and liaison officers are on staff at both SMCC and North Slave Correctional Centre.

In addition, Corrections Services has implemented several programs, including substance abuse management, violence prevention, living without violence, and respectful relationships designed to help inmates.

Those are some of the programs that are being used in our corrections facilities, and as I say, we do recognize that a very high percentage of those who do end up being incarcerated do have trauma in their lives and also suffer from addictions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for that nice answer, and it kind of led into my other question that I already was going to ask. When he talks about these programs, and having staff in the corrections centres, do we have psychologists and addiction counsellors in each of our corrections institutes?

I can advise that psychologists are on staff at North Slave Correctional Complex and the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre providing psychological services to inmates. At the Fort Smith Correctional Complex, on-call psychological services are available. Fort Smith Correctional Centre is entering into a recruitment process for a full-time counsellor.

Corrections psychological services are also made available to those on probation on an as-needed basis, and I can advise also that, along with the facility psychologists I have referenced previously, Corrections has an addictions counsellor on staff at SMCC and traditional counsellors and liaison officers on staff at both SMCC and NSCC. Substance abuse and violence programs are offered at all facilities and most probation offices.

I appreciate the Minister's answer in a little bit more in depth. It is good to see that we are doing those things. My next question is: Mr. Speaker, has the department looked at the Guthrie House model and seen if it is feasible to implement this type of model in the Northwest Territories?

Yes. Many of us, along with staff, did have the opportunity of going to Guthrie House, and I think we were all impressed by what we saw and heard there. Two site visits to the Guthrie Therapeutic Community in Nanaimo, British Columbia, have been conducted. We met staff and inmates, and, as I say, I think we were all impressed from what we heard from both staff and inmates. So, the corrections service has established a committee to examine the feasibility of implementing a therapeutic-community model for addictions in the South Slave, South Mackenzie Correctional Centre, so we are researching the issue. We are contemplating the number of inmates who might avail themselves of this type of program and also looking at changes that might be required to the physical plan, the facility, itself. So, yes, this issue is being carefully examined. Thank you.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. I have had conversations with him previously, and I am very encouraged to see this happening. Mr. Speaker, what were some of the things that they saw that can implemented right away for the betterment of our inmates, that we saw at the Guthrie House?

Yes, as I mentioned earlier, I think we were both very impressed with both staff and the inmates at the Guthrie House, and I can advise that the department is currently in the final stages of curriculum development for the pre-treatment healing addictions programs to be facilitated out of SMCC. So, we went down to Nanaimo, we listened and learned, and we are making progress in this important matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I have some questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I am not going to ask for his head, hands, or feet. I just want a little bit of his time and money. The current staffing of the NWT Arts Council deals with more than 120 applications a year, requesting about $1.5 million against a budget of $600,000. There are two application deadlines a year, and staff can barely keep up. There has been no increase in the NWT Arts Council budget for 10 years, and there is nothing in the budget that was tabled by the finance Minister yesterday. Can the Minister tell us what will trigger an increase in the budget and capacity of the NWT Arts Council? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently, there is no trigger to look at what will help in determining an increase in the budget. As I mentioned yesterday, when it comes to supporting the arts in the Northwest Territories, collectively as a government we are looking what all of our supports are within the departments. I also just want to point out, Mr. Speaker, that my department, the Department of ECE, has the second-highest per-capita rate in Canada when it comes to providing support for the arts, culture, and heritage here in the Northwest Territories, and every year we serve approximately 250 clients in the Northwest Territories on a yearly basis. That has helped foster some very healthy relationships when it comes to supporting arts in the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. I am just glad that no one put their foot in their mouth on these questions. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I don't think I can top that. I appreciate the response from the Minister, and I know staff work hard to get money out the door and so on, but we could be accessing a lot more federal funding, as well. There are over 15 funding programs listed on a Heritage Canada website that could be used to support arts activities and initiatives in the NWT. They cover everything from performing arts to capital investment opportunities. Can the Minister give us a snapshot of what federal program and capital funding the NWT received this year for arts-related activities and projects? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I did give him a heads-up, so he knows about this.

Any support that we get from third parties or any of our partners in terms of supporting our culture, our heritage, and our arts programs here in the Northwest Territories is greatly appreciated, and I know our staff work very hard to try to access those funds. However, I do not have that information on hand with me right now, but once I do get that information I will be happy to share it with the Member and committee and all Members who are interested in knowing how much we are supporting the artists in the Northwest Territories in taxes and other sources of funding.

Thanks again to the Minister for that commitment. He will pull together the information. We will get it. The currently prevailing plan for promotion of the arts is the 2004 NWT Arts Strategy, and it states as its goal "the coordination of programs and services that will ensure more effective and efficient use of available funds." As a means of achieving this goal, will the Minister commit to examining the amalgamation of all GNWT arts funding, production, and marketing programs under the leadership of an arm's-length NWT arts council?

I do agree. The NWT Arts Council does play a very important role as an advisory board to me as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I did mention yesterday that I will be working with the Minister of ITI to look at options moving forward in terms of whether it is a strategy or how we can work better together and more collaboratively and, obviously, having the NWT Arts Council play a pivotal role in that. They are the ones who we assign to the boards, and they are the ones with the expertise who also help give us direction on how these funds are being allocated throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. Once again, I would like to thank the Minister for his response. That is good news. Yesterday he committed to reviewing GNWT support for the arts, and he has made some additional commitments here, in my view, today. I really hope that this review is going to be more than just pulling together the current support across at least two departments and then concluding that everything is just fine. Clearly, structural change is needed to bring an improved focus to this sector and to better leverage federal funding. Can the Minister tell us just what he is going to review with regard to support for the arts and when he will report back publicly? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I did mention that we are working with the departments to see what the overall supports that the GNWT as a whole gives to the arts community as well as culture and heritage. Once we get those numbers, we can start having further discussions moving forward, but that work has to be done first. Currently, I do not have a timeline, but, as soon as we get that information, we will be sharing with Members. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, although the Ministers I discussed in my Member's statement, I realize, straddle both health and finance responsibilities. However, the primary purpose of my suggestions is to reduce alcohol harm rather than to increase revenue from alcohol sales generally, so my first suggestion is about reducing liquor store hours, since longer opening hours are related to both impaired driving and alcohol-related hospitalization. Will the Minister work with his colleague, the Minister of Finance, to examine the reduction in the hours that liquor stores are open? Mahsi.

Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this morning I did have an opportunity to talk with the honourable Member from YK Centre about the report that she mentioned in her statement. I have to admit I do spend a significant amount of my time reading reports and other documents, but I have not read the report that the Member had made reference to this morning. I can confirm that the department is very familiar with the report, has read it, and that that type of research is helping inform the development of the addictions recovery action plan that we spoke about yesterday.

I understand the value of harm reduction. I understand the value in doing things to prevent chronic addictions and other things that we face here in the Northwest Territories, so today I will commit to the Member that I will share the report with the Minister of Finance and the NWT Liquor Commission so that, if and when it comes time to re-price alcohol here in the Northwest Territories and review hours of operations, they have that data to help them to make evidence-based decisions.

I appreciate the frankness of the Minister's response and appreciate that he will make time to read this report. I am hoping that the pricing question as well as the liquor store open hours question will come up sooner rather than later. As I mentioned, indexing the cost of alcohol to both alcohol content and to inflation makes sure that alcohol remains an expensive product for people to use. Will the Minister review these options and, again, consult with the Minister of Finance on increasing prices to reflect alcohol impact?

I believe that we have some of the highest-priced alcohol in the country at this point, but the report has some valuable information, and as I have already indicated, I will be sharing that information with the Minister of Finance, as well as the NWT Liquor Commission, so that they can make evidence-based decisions if and when the opportunity comes to review liquor pricing here in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you to my colleague the Minister of Health. While our prices may be high, our alcohol harm is also high, so I don't think we should rule that out as a possibility.

Another possibility that came out of the report, one that is totally within the discretion of the Minister of Health, is to have clinicians screen their patients to identify harmful drinking patterns. The screening is a few questions that is then followed with a very brief counselling session aimed at increasing the awareness of heavy drinking and referral to care. Will the Minister investigate the implementation of this protocol?

Hospitalizations entirely caused by alcohol is an effective measure of the effectiveness of prevention and treatment programs and provides for evidence-based decision-making. The abuse of alcohol is a cause or a contributing factor in a number of health conditions and is the leading factor of preventable death and disease. Currently, the Department of Health and Social Services tracks that data, and we will continue to track that indicator, hospitalizations entirely caused by alcohol. Just for note, the department will be reporting on this indicator in the 2016-2017 Annual Report, which is actually scheduled to be tabled during this session. The department also made reference to this indicator in the 2018-2019 Business Plan, and it was something that we discussed with Members previously.

In 2015-2016, the NWT rate of hospitalizations caused by alcohol was over five times the national average. There have not been any statistically significant changes in that rate since 2004-2005. The report that the honourable Member is mentioning has been shared and is a part of the documents that are being utilized to help inform our Addictions Recovery Action Plan, so that information the Member is bringing up will be something that we are looking at in moving forward with this plan.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister's response. It's not really the response to my question, but I understand he has engaged with this indicator. I think the fact that there has been no statistical change in the number of hospitalizations due entirely to drinking is a reason to look at new approaches, and one of those is having clinicians do this pre-screening to identify and offer solutions for heavy drinking. Is the Minister prepared to look at this initiative? Thank you.

In the development of the Addictions Recovery Action Plan, this is the type of thing that we need to be talking about. We need to be talking about new opportunities and new ways of doing business. Harm reduction is an evolving and very interesting way of addressing many of the challenges that our residents face, and we need to be open to it.

I don't want to presuppose a solution, but this is the type of thing that we are hoping to see in the Addictions Recovery Action Plan. In short, I am not going to commit to this as an exact model, but this is the type of model we want to look at, but we need to finish our work, frankly. We need to continue to move forward, and our minds need to be open to new approaches. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. I spoke earlier today about royalties and transparency around royalties. Mr. Speaker, we know that industry is doing a good job, and they are working with organizations like Publish What You Pay to be a little bit more transparent. We know also that other jurisdictions, provinces, are publishing annual reports on the revenues and benefits that they receive from the mining industry.

I would like to ask the Minister today: will the GNWT publish each year the amounts of royalties and taxes and other payments to governments by companies in the mining and oil and gas sectors? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is correct that we do not do that. The complete number is shared as a whole in our books, but this is a conversation since devolution has taken place that we need to have with all residents of the Northwest Territories.

It's a very important one that we have to take. Royalties directly impact the profitability of these mines, and we know we want to get our fair share, but at the same time, we have to protect the industry that we have in the Northwest Territories so that residents can benefit from these economic opportunities. We will continue to look at this as we move forward. It has been separated out of the Mineral Resource Act because we know this is a very big conversation that needs to take place with the residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you to the Minister for his reply. The Minister alluded to the fact that we are undertaking the development of the Mineral Resource Act right now. We have been doing some consulting in regard to that, but more specifically, I am talking about our royalties regime and the taxation regime.

I appreciate that the Minister has indicated that there is some work to be done around that, but I guess the question, then, is: when? When will the government consult with Indigenous governments and the public, for that matter, about the possible change to our taxes and royalties?

We have already had some discussions when we brought the Mineral Resource Act legislation to the intergovernmental council, which looks at lands and resources of the Northwest Territories. The Premier sat down with them, and we have had that discussion. They have agreed with us that we need to pull this out and have a separate conversation about it, and that is why it not a part of the Mineral Resource Act. We want to make sure we get both of these things right, as they are very important to the residents of the Northwest Territories.

There is more than just the royalties side of it. When we have these discussions, people have to look at the whole framework as a whole and consider the fiscal context of this conversation, because there is a lot of misinformation out there. When you start talking about royalties and what these mining companies pay, there is a big difference from one province to province to territory to the other, and there are a lot of things that need to take place.

Again, I appreciate the complexity of this issue. I did not really hear from the Minister as to when they are going to undertake this, but I am going to move ahead for a moment. I think we all recognize that non-renewable resources are very important and the fact that, when we extract them, then that's it. They're gone. I just want to know from the Minister: what work has GNWT done since devolution to evaluate our resource tax and royalty regime to ensure that we are both encouraging development, but also getting our fair share for extraction of publicly-owned resources?

That is exactly what we are doing. As all Members of this House know, we have been moving forward with the Mineral Resource Act since devolution. We want to make this a leading-edge made-in-the-North act that will benefit all Northerners, and in discussions with the intergovernmental council, it was decided that this needs a very detailed comprehensive review of royalty side of things. This is the legislation that we inherited from the federal government. The last time I believe it was updated when it was in their hands was in 2007-2008 roughly. My understanding is most jurisdictions do a 10-year review, but that is not saying that is what we are going to do. We have already said that we want to have a review of this, just that we have separated it out from the Mineral Resource Act, and it has to have its own separate conversation with all residents in industry in the Northwest Territories.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for the additional information. I guess, then, I would like to ask the Minister about how much it is that we are receiving, and does the Minister feel that it is a fair portion? It is estimated that the NWT receives a little over 20 per cent of the resource revenues. Does the government plan to increase the future revenue rates, or do they think that that 20 per cent is fair as is? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I can't tell you exactly the percentage that we get. I would have to get the details from the department, but I can reassure Members in this House that we are about right down the middle of the pipe here with the rest of the country, particularly around the regions that surround the Northwest Territories, and as I have said, we have to take into the context, when we have this review, we have to be able to look at the whole picture and bring in everybody to have this conversation, be it, fuel tax, property taxes. The future of carbon tax in the industry. The lack of infrastructure in the Northwest Territories.

We are very fortunate to have the mines that we do have right now, where they can take their commodity out in a suitcase, but as that context rolls out, where do we want to go with this industry in the Northwest Territories? That's a conversation that we're going to have to have in this House, but also with all residents.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my statement, my question today is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on the NWT Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupational Certification Strategy.

Can the Minister confirm if there have been any discussions with BHP, the prime contractor for the Stanton Hospital, on efforts to meet the objectives as set out in the strategy? Masi.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members know, we did release the Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupation Certification Strategy in May of last year. The implementation of the strategy is being guided by the advisory committee, as well as working groups comprised largely of industry stakeholders, so I think it's about time that we do get an update, so we will be working with the working groups, as well as the advisory committee to get an update, and we'll be happy to share that information with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks for the response from the Minister here. My next question is: in the issuance of the RFP at the beginning of this project, were there targets set to achieve X number of tradespersons within the project?

One of the focuses of the ATOC Strategy is to create jobs for northern residents where opportunities provide themselves, and I think the project for Stanton was a big part of that, or any of our industry opportunities where our Northerners can get jobs in the industry field. Specifically for this Stanton project, I'm not sure if there were targets set, but I can find that out from my other colleagues here and get back to the Member.

The ATOC Strategy, when we did release it, we wanted to increase participation in the skills, trades, and occupations as well as improving completion rates of anybody who were apprentices or journeyman.

I'm glad to hear the departments are working with the other departments on the other side here to try to achieve the goals as set out in the first RFP process during the procurement. My next question is related to hearing the Minister will provide the information: will the Minister also include in the information what was targeted in the request for the RFP and how much it has produced today in terms of apprentice trades accomplishing their hours?

A strong labour market is critical to the NWT's economic future. We know that there are jobs out there. We have projects that are on the go throughout the Northwest Territories, and we want to provide the skills and the opportunities for Northerners to fill those jobs and be certified and be ready when new opportunities come up.

Specifically for that project, like I said, I don't know the numbers or if there were actually rates and targets that were set, but I can find out that information and get back to the Member. With all large projects in the NWT, we obviously want to have Northerners fill those positions, and with the ATOC Strategy, we are making sure that they have the skills that are needed, the training that is needed, so that they can fill those opportunities.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like the Minister to confirm narrowing it down to four different trades, if that information could be included, third- and fourth-year apprentice individuals for electricians, plumbers, and pipefitters, and also include drywallers as well in the report that he's going to provide. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Presently, we have about 389 apprentices registered in the Northwest Territories. There are also 92 journeyperson certifications that were issued in the 2015-2016 fiscal year, 73 more in 2016-2017, and 54 journeyperson certificates issued to date in the 2017-2018 fiscal year. We do have some of that information, and we can share that information with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a few questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment in follow-up to my Member's statement. I would like to ask the Minister: when was the last time government supported prospector training that was held outside the North or South Slave Regions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Industry, Tourism, Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is right. The last few courses have been in the north and south of the region of the Northwest Territories for geological resources that exist in this particular region because of the high mining activity. What I can tell the Member, though, is the last one that we did have, we had members from the Sahtu participate who came down, and they accessed the C program to be able to participate in that, and that is an option that, depending on where the next one is, we can actually reach out to the Member to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What can the Minister do to support Aboriginal governments that want to bring prospector training to their communities?

We can certainly work with any local government or Aboriginal organizations or communities that want to bring prospector training to their community. One of the challenges we face, though, is geologists and prospectors, instructors may be familiar with rocks in a particular area and the learning experience needs to be one that is going to benefit the students. One of the things I think that we need to really look at particularly maybe in that region as things move forward to try to find an industry for the Beau-Del is maybe we have some type of regional collaboration with communities and have a look at that and have a more robust group of people participating.

Will we see prospector training offered in the Mackenzie Delta within this calendar year?

As I have said, if we can have a look at this possibly as a regional approach, I do not believe we have anything scheduled in the coming years yet. We are still in the planning stages, and some of this investment that we will need to do is going to be hinged on the budget process as well, Mr. Speaker, but we can certainly have those conversations.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was pleased to see the honourable Member for Yellowknife North speaking about very important issues to me, both mining and transparency. I would like to ask the Minister of Transparency some questions around transparency over the royalty regime and the benefits the mining sector is paying into the Northwest Territories.

In the federal context, there is a piece of legislation called the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act, and this act has created a federal government website that you can look up mining companies and see what payments they had been making to governments including this government. I would like to ask the Minister of Transparency if he is willing to begin work on a similar piece of legislation for our government that would allow transparency over royalty resources in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a complex issue; of course, I certainly would want to discuss this with my colleagues. My understanding was that, in the last year, there were approximately $83 million of royalties obtained from the mining industry in the Northwest Territories; however, there is not an individual breakdown from individual mining companies. I think in the past they have resisted that for the reason that they didn't want to be sharing that kind of information with competitors, because royalty regimes and rates are based often on gross production or profits. Traditionally, in the past, they have not wanted to share that with the public or with competitors, but I think that as Minister of Transparency we have to at least look at this issue. Thank you.

I will remind the honourable Minister that we're the ones who make the rules for the industry. They don't make the rules for themselves. The industry seems to be quite fine to have this information published on a federal website which includes payments made to the GNWT and to Indigenous organizations within the Northwest Territories. If he is not willing to move forward on legislation, will he begin the work on a clear annual statement on how much royalties were received; how much were shared with each Indigenous group; and that this report be tabled annually in the Legislative Assembly? Will he make that commitment?

I don't think I could make that kind of commitment at this time because the royalty regimes are an important part of our revenues. As I say, we do know what the gross amount is. The question is: how much we are getting from each individual mine? As I say, in the past, mines both here and I think in most other jurisdictions have not been willing to share that information. Some of the information can be obtained through other countries, I see, by looking at the overall profits of the parent companies, but I don't think the mines in the Northwest Territories, that are generally subsidiaries of very large international corporations, would be willing to share that information because they would see that as giving information to their competitors and perhaps affecting their competitiveness.

I always appreciate an impassioned defense of secrecy from the Minister of Public Engagement and Transparency. The Chamber of Mines here in the Northwest Territories currently produces reports and does this work to roll up royalty information. The Minister is not willing to bring forward legislation or table a report. Will he at least give a contribution to the Chamber of Mines to do this work on his behalf?

I'm not sure if that request is for a personal donation or a government donation.