Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Member is correct. The short construction season, we understand, and my understanding is that there is trouble finding contractors sometimes to go into some of these places. That would be a couple of the reasons for the amount of carry-overs: short construction season and the issue with finding contractors. If there are contractors listening out there, there is an opportunity, because there is fairly significant carry-over. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I urge the Minister and also the Minister of ITI to consider how to move these projects along. We all know that tourism is a growing industry here in the NWT, and it is important to keep the parks in good repair and repair the things that are broken down, like the shower house in Fort Providence. The sooner that this work can be done, the better. I hope that the Minister will be able to move these projects along and ensure that our parks are ready for visitors. That is a comment, not a question, and I have nothing further.

Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this is just more of a general comment, not particularly towards this department's investments, but I would like to ask the Minister in a general sense if they would consider own sources or project management type of approaches to some of these.

Some of these projects are near some of the communities where you have fairly highly skilled individuals that do work on buildings. In my community of Fort Resolution, I think when they built the health centre, the department may have had one person from an actual contract go in, and the rest were all local people. They had a lot of local skilled people in quite a few communities across the territory.

I am wondering, if this is becoming an issue where you are having trouble getting contractors, I think contractors are definitely the first way to do the projects, but I would ask if the Minister could maybe talk to the various departments to see if many of this work can be done locally at the community level and see if we could get more projects done within the appropriate fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I take the Member's point, and I think it is something that we need to look at if there is trouble getting contractors in some of these places, if we were to get a qualified person into the community to hire some locals to do the work and have them oversee it and sign off on it, because I think, for some of these, you almost have to be a journeyman carpenter now.

I have seen it work in the past. In one of the communities that I lived in, I have seen where they had a local journeyman. They had a number of workers that worked there, and they actually did a very good job.

I think that this is something that I will have discussion with my Cabinet colleagues about, if there is a way that we can advance this. One of our mandate items is trying to put people to work, and if we can do that, I think it will be a bonus, not only for this government, but for the community as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am on page 13. There is a list of projects under tourism and parks. I am particularly interested in the K1 Kitchen Shelter Replacement. The line item is $304,000, which seems to be quite high, considering the replacement of the manager's residence in Kakisa is only $200,000. I have been to at least one of the kitchen shelters in the park, and I am just wondering if we can get some justification on the value for money for this project. I mean, it seems very, very high. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my understanding is that they have identified a lot of issues with the existing structure, and it represents a risk to health and safety, but I think the Member's question is why the replacement is costing $304,000. I am not quite sure. My understanding is that they are going to do a design contract to be awarded in the spring of 2018 with construction in the fall of 2018. I am not sure exactly what the specs are for the new shelter. I would have to follow up with the Department of Infrastructure and see. I take the Member's point, though. You are looking at $304,000. Slightly larger than a phone booth.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, and I appreciate the Minister sharing some of my concerns, but at this point, the Minister believes that this appropriation is appropriate for this project? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, when this was originally introduced, I believe we had passed it in the capital budget session, and it seemed to be appropriate at the time. Again, without knowing the details and the specs required for the new facility, it is probably not fair for me to comment on that, but once we know the details or have a conceptual design, then we will have a pretty good indication.

Maybe it's the cost of doing business in the capital, as well, and I don't mean that in a negative way, but there is a higher cost to doing business in the capital. It is less expensive in some of the smaller communities.

I will keep on top of this. I will have a discussion with the appropriate departments and see exactly what this building looks like. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know this Minister in particular has an eye for cost savings. I am confident that he will take this matter seriously, and if there is value for money to be had, he will find a way to have it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Nothing further from Mr. Testart. I will go to Mr. McNeely.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am just looking at page 12, tourism and parks, carried over to page 13. I am glad to see that there is a significant amount of money going to our territorial parks programming and inventory for O and M and upkeep and upgrade.

On the issue of the Canol Heritage Trail Emergency Shelters, allowed for $372,000, I am glad to see that is back on a carry-over. As I understand, some of the logistics in seeing this project through resulted into a barging schedule and mountain weather; so I am glad it is in there.

Overall, I am glad to see that we are taking a vested interest in our territorial park upgrade and maintenance. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Industry, Tourism and Investment, capital investment expenditures, tourism and parks, not previously authorized, $3,508,000. Does committee agree?

Industry, Tourism and Investment, capital investment expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $7,368,000. Does committee agree?