Thank you. Minister.

Thank you. That's actually Lands that actually has the responsibility to go into the mines. Thank you.

Thank you. Member.

I don't think so.

Deputy Minister.

Thank you. Member.

Okay. Am I allowed to ask: are those inspectors actually allowed to go to the site right now? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

That, we'd have to get back to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you. Member.

Thanks. Yes. I know we're into year two of a pandemic, but it's an important time at some of these sites, as well, and the life cycle of some of these mines. The deputy minister knows this way better than I, that, in a couple of months, we're going to be talking about spring freshet. That's a very important time at these sites because water starts moving around and strange things can happen. I don't think our folks were able to go there in May and June of 2020, so I want to make sure that our folks get there this year and are able to do their work. I don't know what else I can say. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

We will get back to the committee with that information. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Nothing further. Thanks.

Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just curious to know why there was no 2019-2020 actual for the Mackenzie River Basin Board, and I apologize if that was answered. It's been a long day. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

To the DM. Thank you.

Deputy Minister.

Thank you. Member.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That's good to hear. I like to hear that we're being more efficient, so kudos to the department for that. When the deputy minister commented that the NWT water strategy line item, the $175,000, could be used by a variety of projects and that includes research and community projects, given that there's potential for the university side to dip down as COVID restrictions still continue on, although I know that a lot of those people are probably really dedicated and are willing to maybe come up and spend two weeks in the bush isolating for themselves so they can do their research, I'm just curious to know: is this a potential or an area where we could be actually increasing the funding and then using this money to increase or meet our mandate of increasing employment in small communities since it is a broad fund from the sounds of it? It does sound like it could be a great way to start creating new projects in small communities at this time.

Perhaps maybe not an increase in funding as I see people's faces, but even just repurposing a little bit of this money so that, instead of it being very restrictive, it could be used to sort of, again, keep money flowing into smaller communities, keep people working. It does seem like it's a great area to be moving forward with the water guardians or the guardian program, all of that kind of thing. It's all step in line with that, and increasing our knowledge economy, as well. Just more of a suggestion or comment. Thank you, Madam Chair.