Thank you. Ms. Kennedy.

Thank you, Ms. Kennedy. Are there any further questions for executive council offices? Seeing no further questions, please turn to page 119, Executive and Indigenous Affairs, executive council offices, operations expenditure summary, 2020-2021 Main Estimates, $4,466,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. Moving on to Indigenous and Intergovernmental Affairs, pages 124-127. Member for Thebacha.

Madam Chair, I had a question for funding with regard to funding the Northwest Territories friendship centres. First of all, I want to ask the first question, I guess. I always thought friendship centres came under federal jurisdiction. This is just extra to that?

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Mr. Goldney.

Thank you, Mr. Goldney. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The $170,000 in grant funding to individual Northwest Territories friendship centres, could you give me the breakdown of the disbursements, please?

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Madam Premier?

Thank you, Madam Chair. We don't have the list of all of the friendship centres with us right now. We can get it to committee, I believe there are five, but we will provide that to the Members. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, I'll take that as a comment. I didn't hear a question, but I did hear the lobbying of the Member, stating that we need to care for the friendship centres. They do provide valuable services. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. So, this, I think, is part of Executive and Indigenous affairs, where federal engagement is found. I'm just wondering, do we still retain a lobbyist firm in Ottawa? That was something that was done in the last Assembly, and I just want to know if that's the case. We have some kind of retainer with some firm, and what it's costing us. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. If Members could, speak up a little louder. It's hard to hear you. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I was trying to figure out what we were paying for it. We do still have a director of public affairs, I believe is the position, a deputy secretary for public affairs. Madam Chair, I do want to say that, when I first became the Premier of this government, I questioned and said, "Why do we have a person in Ottawa? We don't need a person in Ottawa. We need jobs in the North." I'm a huge advocate of jobs in the North. However, in this case, I have learned the vital necessity of having somebody in Ottawa. It's one position. In fact, it might be going down to a part-time position now. That person is on the ground. They are working with the federal departments. They are getting the information that isn't in the news. It's invaluable, that position. They not only provide the services what's up, what might be coming down the windpipe. If I give direction, they are in those departments. They are looking to lobby for us. They also have a space for us. Oftentimes, when we go to the federal government, we need to have office space. That space is open to all of my Cabinet Ministers. Other organizations have used it. It's a great place that represents the Northwest Territories, has a footprint there. I believe it was costing about $120,000 a year. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I think the Premier misunderstood my question. Maybe that's because I was speaking too quietly. I'm asking if we have a federal lobbyist firm, a company that does a registered federal lobbyist in Ottawa. Do we still retain those services? Thanks Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have been corrected, and I take the numbers. That would be the global affairs, the organization called. That is where the $120,000 goes. They are not lobbyists, Madam Chair. They are to give us strategic advice. They've helped in other ways, as well. I do know that they actually provided some communication support to me, as well, but they are actually to tell us what's happening and they help our lobbying efforts. They are not our lobbyists. Thank you, Madam Chair.