Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This plant gives the opportunity for the fishers that are utilizing it to access markets that they can't currently access. For example, in terms of domestic market, it won't replace those fishers who are already out there providing to a local market, but it does provide access to, such as, the corrections facilities or healthcare facilities, places that require the fish to be approved and go through formalized processing. It similarly is going to provide an opportunity to access markets down South. Again, because we are doing our processing locally, it will ultimately be able to change the way that the fish are being priced. Further, last one, last comment from me, Madam Chair, is: again, the vision is that this will allow for alternative types of products such as roe fish and fertilizer. Really, a much more whole-of-industry approach so that even a lower-grade catch can still be utilized to find access to the markets. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Did you have any final comments?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to ask what will happen with the existing plant that's being used right now? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to put that one back to the ADM, please. Thank you.

ADM St-Denis.

Thank you, Ms. St-Denis. Committee, are there any other comments on this? Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. In general, I am supportive of this plant. I do have a number of concerns about whether this is just throwing a lot of infrastructure money at an industry that may not actually be able to meet the demand. I know the fishing strategy revitalization identifies trying to bring new fishers into the industry. Many are retiring, and they simply can't find people to replace them. I know some of the fishers in my industry have expressed concerns about the possibility of Southerners coming up and starting to enter that industry at the expense of others. Specific question is: when I look at the fishing zones, quite a significant amount of the quota is on the northern end of the lake. Key to that is having remote pickup locations such that this plant is useful to them. Are there any plans for that, and is that infrastructure included in this line item here? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just quickly returning to the line item and while I flip let me just reassure the Member that there are intended to be pickup locations in both Yellowknife and Port Resolution, which are reflected in the capital plans for the department. There is also intended to be work being done in Fort Providence not included in this particular plan because that's being done largely through the community themselves or directly through the community themselves. The point being there would be these three different collection points, particularly, for the purposes of the plan, Fort Resolution and Yellowknife. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Member.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think those pickup locations are central to making sure this plant can actually reach capacity. Simply a comment to the Minister that this infrastructure, in and of itself, is not going to revive the fisheries. I feel like that is obvious, but there is a lot of concerted effort that needs to be done both by the Tu Cho and the Freshwater, our GNWT procurement of whether we can get fish into hospitals, whether we can start encouraging people to buy local fish, getting it into restaurants. Much of that work is started in the strategy, so can I just get a response from the Minister of how the revitalization strategy is proceeding in that all of the other key areas of strategy that will actually justify this multi-million-dollar plant are on track? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I entirely agree with the Member's comments, and I am honestly still learning a fair bit about this strategy myself and came at it with not dissimilar questions, so I am happy to report that I have certainly turned a corner in terms of my hope for this, that I think that there is tremendous possibility and promise and opportunity. As I said earlier, I think in response to the MLA from Hay River, it may not be a tremendously huge contributor to the entire GDP of our economy, but it has a tremendous potential for those communities that are going to be most directly impacted.

As far as what is happening, then, with the strategy, there is already work underway, and I think it was mentioned, winter training plans right now. There are other training plans that are set to start in the spring of 2021 for potential plant workers. There are already other discussions underway with the Tu Cho fishers to increase their training and their recruitment and capacity, and ongoing discussion between all the parties. Certainly, a vision that I would have would be to bring the fishers together as much as possible to have some collective communications about what else needs to get done to move this strategy forward to their success.

Finally, one last comment, Madam Chair, is that, if this plant can indeed be CFIA certified, there may be some opportunities to use it for agricultural purposes other than just the fish. Quite a lot is happening, and there is some movement, as I say again, that the strategy is moving forward, the training is moving forward. I think we will start to see that play out over the next few months. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Are there any further comments to this page? Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I am kind of disappointed, though, looking down the list for this department, and I do not see anything from my riding. I did have some questions. I know I saw somewhere during our committee meetings, that there is some stuff there for Little Buffalo River, but I just want to see if there is going to be any work done in terms of long-term work in that area. Marsi cho, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Is this under the economic diversification?

[Microphone turned off] ...ahead.

[Microphone turned off].

Okay. My apologies. Maybe we can return to that later, then.

Okay. Are there any further comments on the Industry, Tourism and Investment, economic diversification and business support? If none, I will call the page. Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, economic diversification and business support, infrastructure investments, $11,148,000. Does committee agree?