Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to speak to an issue that I unfortunately wasn't allowed to or wasn't able to ask questions on in a previous section, but I'll just flip over to 207, the departmental total, and just ask about the manufacturing strategy. What money has been attached to the manufacturing strategy in this budget? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We've been currently funding that from within the ITI budget. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

By how much? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't have that detail in front of me. I'll have to get that information for the Member. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I find it difficult when this is responded in this manner, to say, “Well, we have money, but I can't tell you what it is or where you can find it.” I would hope the Minister would have a more satisfactory answer, but I will remain unsatisfied.

On the manufacturing strategy, what is the progress-to-date on the consultation engagement and drafting of that strategy, the progress made to date? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We went out and did our public engagement in a number of communities across the Northwest Territories. We are going to be pulling together a What We Heard report. Hopefully, that is going to be done in the very near future, and we will be able to table that probably in the up-and-coming session or post it online before the next session starts. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was involved in that process, and I appreciate the work that is going into that. One of the areas that is up for discussion in the strategic discussions around manufacturing is converting the current list policy, where you have to be registered as a manufacturer to receive the preferential purchasing, shifting that to a labour market subsidy so that you actually subsidize manufacturing operations to encourage employment. I think that is a viable option that is perhaps preferable to the current system.

If that example were undertaken, it would require an additional source of cash. There are a whole host of other options that might require additional funding as well. Is this funding from within that the Minister spoke of able to account for any of those kinds of changes that we might roll out with the manufacturing strategy? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Member is right. That is one of the initiatives that we are looking at. The money that we are using currently within ITI is funds to do the survey and how do we promote the industry. Moving forward, if that is a path that we end up taking on labour market subsidies, we will have to come back to this Assembly and figure out how much money we are going to need to do that and which department will be leading that initiative, if it's a labour initiative through Education or if it's through business promotion through ITI, but that is something that is going to have to be costed out and figured out if that is the way we go with this strategy. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Thank you. Given the fiscal challenges presented in this budget, is the Minister anticipating that there will be an opportunity to bring forward a supplementary appropriation, or are those resources spoken for? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Mr. Chair, it is probably too early to make a commitment on that. We depend on where this whole strategy ends up and how it rolls out. I couldn't comment if that is how we would roll it out. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Nothing further. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Seeing nothing, I will call the departmental total. Industry, Tourism and Investment, total department, $57,420,000. Does committee agree?