Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to -- not very often I go on defence of a Minister in a department but I want to ensure that the -- when I was Chief at Salt River First Nation, we always had a dialogue with ENR and with the water quality regulations and the monitoring that was done within the department. And I know for a fact that even during the pandemic that water quality was happening and monitoring, and the First Nations were always involved, especially Salt River and the Metis because they're from Fort Smith. And I know for a fact that the water quality in the Fort Smith area is top notch. So I just want to make sure that we don't get wrong information from anyone that this is not okay, okay? Because I think that they also have workings with the municipality, and I remember when my husband was mayor that there was a letter written about the water quality in Fort Smith and how great it was. Okay, so it's just a comment. I'm not going to ask any questions but I just want to know one thing, and I'm sure you're still working with those First Nations when they go out to do monitoring; am I correct? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi, Ms. Martselos. Minister.

Yes, we're -- and I thank the Member for that. Yeah, we are working with them. We are -- we have constant communication, whether it's our regional office or out of headquarters, and we have an open line. So if the community had -- or Indigenous governments or the communities have concerns, they can reach out to us and we're able to get that information to them as quickly as we can. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi. Ms. Martselos.

I want to make one last comment. When I was the Chief of Salt River First Nation, I just want to reiterate the working relationship we had with the deputy minister. It was an incredible, valuable relationship, and we had a lot of dialogue with the aboriginal people. And I'm not asking any more questions, but I just want to make sure that people understand that the water is fine in Fort Smith. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi, Ms. Martselos. I didn't hear any questions there. Any further questions from committee? No further questions. Please turn to page 88. Environment and Natural Resources, water management and monitoring operations expenditure summary, 2022 to 2023 Main Estimates, $9,893,000. Does the committee agree?

Agree, thank you.

We'll turn to wildlife and fish beginning on page 91, with information item on page 94. Questions? Wildlife and fish. Okay, not seeing any questions. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So in the Minister's opening remarks, he said that there's an extra $1.03 million for work on the Bathurst and Bluenose East caribou herds. I don't want the Minister to tell me right now, but I want an itemized list of what this money's actually for. So can the Minister commit to provide that and actually make it public? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Minister.

We have it with us if the Member wants it right now. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Or did you say you just wanted to be -- give it to him because of his time? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi. Mr. O'Reilly.

Yeah, okay, I'll give the Minister 50 seconds if he can read it out quickly, please. Thank you.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you. Deputy minister. Thank you.

Mahsi. Mr. O'Reilly.

Yeah, okay, thanks, Mr. Chair, and thanks for that. If I could get the detailed list with absolute numbers beside it, that would be great.

I just want to know whether -- also whether any of that funding is actually for habitat protection, which has not happened during my six years here, really, and is the one part of caribou management that is yet to be addressed. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

In regards to the list and that, I believe we've already sent it to committee but we'll check to confirm that we sent it to committee. And if we haven't, we'll make sure we send it again.

But in regards to the habitat and the work that's being done in that area, with your permission I'd turn to the deputy minister. Thank you.

Deputy minister.

Mahsi. Mr. O'Reilly.

Yeah, thanks, I was furiously trying to scribble all of that down. But I want to confirm from the Minister, I asked for that information before and I have not received it, the itemized list. So I'm happy to get that from the Minister.

The mobile caribou conservation measures, this has been under discussion for probably three or four years now. The diamond mines actually do this to a great extent. It was actually done in the Kivalliq region in the 1980s when there was a boom around uranium exploration. They were called the caribou protection measures back then. I just don't understand why we haven't been able do anything about this for years here. So when can we actually expect to see some actual regulatory change to implement these mobile caribou conservation measures. Thanks, Mr. Chair.