Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Premier for that as well. Can the Premier tell us whether our government's aware of any consultation with Indigenous governments that has been carried out by this expedition? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, we are not aware, I'm not aware, of any consultation with Indigenous governments. Again, those are discussions that we had with them. It's important that people know when they're coming to the North, we welcome visitors to the North, but it's also important that people know that we're -- it's very harsh here in the winter and in the summer as well. So we do recognize -- we do recommend that all people that are going on expeditions into our far North, into our Arctic, consult with the Indigenous governments and get a guide - someone that knows the territory. It's not safe. You can't just drive and expect to see a gas station in the middle of nowhere. So our terrain is rugged, and our services are limited. So anyone that's coming to the Northwest Territories, please, make sure that they contact Indigenous governments and get yourself some qualified guides to be able to take you through your journey. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Premier again for that response. One of the things, of course, I'm worried too about is whether this so-called expedition is going to require any kind of search and rescue. So is the Premier aware of whether they have any insurance or bonding related to any potential search and rescue operations? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I'm not aware of any bonding requirements that they will need for search and rescue for this type of activity in the Northwest Territories. However, I am concerned about their safety as well. It sounds like the Member is as well. So we have reached out to the federal government, the Minister of Public Safety, just to ensure that they're aware of this expedition because the federal government would be responsible for search and rescue and we definitely want to make sure that people are safe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm grateful that my colleague has raised this issue around the transglobal expedition. I had an opportunity to head out there this weekend and found it to be quite wonderful, actually. So I have questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment about what this type of work means for the future.

My first question is does the Department of ITI have anyone working in a sort of a pathfinder type situation or a set of guidelines on their website around what is required for adventure tourism, cold weather testing and such, as this type of expedition is? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we do have quite a team working generally on tourism in all its forms and all its ways, whether it's on the large-scale exploration right down to the smaller exploration that might be happening. And Mr. Speaker, yes, I can say that there's been some work happening now to help coordinate from really an all-of-government approach as the Premier's already just spoken to, what this exploration project in particular might look like, what it might look like in -- not only in the short term but in the medium and long term. And yes, Mr. Speaker, I can also just reassure that with respect to that sort of pathfinding for these big projects, there are staff within ITI who look at that, who can assist tour coordinators if appropriate, or those who may not fall under the requirements for tour operation licences to also coordinate. And I expect that that will continue. This is obviously a place we like to promote for exactly the kind of exploration opportunities that we all know exist here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think one thing that people are not aware of is that this is the preplanning stage for the actual event which will be held next year and encompasses a transglobal voyage driving completely across land from Antarctica all the way up to the North Pole, and this is just a small section of this overall expedition. And I will want to reassure the Premier that these are Antarctic explorers so they are very familiar with the remoteness and cold weather that we would be experiencing in the North. I understand topography, etcetera, would be different but they're looking into that.

My next question, then, for the Minister of ITI is around the cold weather's testing. This has been an area in which we have been trying to build out work, and I do understand that it is under the Minister of Infrastructure. However, it is a business. It is an industry. And so can the Minister speak to her work around reaching out to that industry and networking? I know when I was in her role, I had started to speak with Germany, for example, about cold weather testing. So perhaps, she could speak a little bit to that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I share the enthusiasm for all of these opportunities. And Mr. Speaker, as much as -- as fast as the ideas might be coming from my colleague across the floor, the ideas and responses are coming to me from the department right here. Everyone is quickly reminding me of the innovation action plans and the knowledge economy that we are looking to build, talking about opportunities that we know will exist to meet with entities who'd be looking at the projects, such as, you know, cold weather testing for a variety of different possible ways, not only tires and cars but other technologies as well. And, you know, the Korean aircraft would be another example of that recently.

So there has been an interesting buzz, Mr. Speaker, in the Northwest Territories of late, even with COVID, even with the challenges of that. Some of these -- you know, emerging technologies are starting to look here as being a place where they can come and reach out, test their projects, you know, do their exploration, and find a good landing pad, because we are looking to promote ourselves, to diversify our economy, and have folks within our departments who can take a whole-of-government pathfinding approach. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Another concern I've heard around this expedition is around wildlife and sort of joyriding around the pristine Arctic. I do want to reassure everyone that these tires have three pounds per square inch of pressure. You have about five or six, Mr. Speaker. So the tracks are actually lighter than people walking on the snow. So that is a moot point and, basically, this is a just a large skidoo excavation with lesser emissions.

My next question for the Minister is to do around -- it's my understanding that National Geographic is involved with this expedition and has been there filming and will be taking part with it all. To me, this seems like a great opportunity for us to liaise between our NWT Film Commission with National Geographic and only sort of expand that area of our resources and revenue sources.

Could the Minister speak a little bit to whether or not we're going to see more -- sorry, nature-based filmographers here in the future? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I can have the pleasure of saying that, in fact, the Northwest Territories Film Commission is involved. They have been engaged. They were meeting with folks today and are going to be, I hope, working -- working with this tour so that they can exactly, as the Member has said, bring greater attention not only to our film industry, not only to the great folks that we have in the Northwest Territories in this sector, but then the other opportunities that come with it of being able to promote the Northwest Territories as a place where we can achieve diversity of economy and new opportunities and innovation.

Mr. Speaker, I do want to add one note. I appreciate the concerns around, you know, the way in which the exploration's happening. In addition to the scientific notes from my colleague, I would say that it's my understanding that this group is looking at using LiDAR and drones so that when they're mapping out their route and mapping out how they're going to go, they're doing it in the least intrusive way possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, I think this was just very much a perfect storm of bad events that led to this situation happening and a -- I don't think anything was ill intended but rather just maybe ignorance of what was needing to be done. And that being said, I think it speaks to a bit of a gap in our information accessibility as a territory.

I think we've heard lots the last two years about comms around COVID. So I would say that this is perhaps an opportunity now for us to realize that we need to make our web sites and our information more accessible to investors so that it's one stop, one quick Google, and they can find the information that they need to find to do business with the Northwest Territories.

Can the Minister speak to any of that sort of -- if there's any of that sort of work happening in her department now? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I've said earlier, there's already very senior members of the department prepared to act as pathfinders for an organization like this, for an opportunity like this, to ensure that if there are regulations that need to be followed, that folks that are coming up know about them and can go through those processes appropriately, provide information as needed, and that if there are benefits, whether it's scientific, research, film, or otherwise, that, of course, we are taking a whole-of-government approach.

So Mr. Speaker, I'm going to certainly commit to looking over at our Invest NWT website, make sure that it is up to date. And similarly, look out on the tourism side and make sure that our information there is up to date so that we can take advantage of these opportunities and create a situation where there's concern about the opportunities. These are just that, it's opportunities, and I certainly agree that we need to find a way to make ourselves more available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Colleagues, our time for oral questions has expired. Written questions. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You threw me off there; I've never done a written question before.

So my written question is about mental health supports for residents.

Mr. Speaker, our residents, including our children and youth, are facing unprecedented challenges in relation to addictions and health. We are seeing this in many forms including, unfortunately, attempts at self-harm and suicide.

I believe one of the best supports the government can provide is in-person professional support, from consistent providers, through addictions and mental health counsellors, child protection workers, and other first responders.

Mr. Speaker, Regular MLAs are hearing from constituents that many of these positions are vacant, and workers from one community are covering other communities.

Given this, I ask the Minister to provide the number of addictions and mental health counsellors, child protection workers, and family support worker positions in each community, and whether each of these positions is filled immediately -- sorry, I can't speak today, Mr. Speaker. Whether these positions are filled indeterminately.

Further, I also ask the Minister:

1. What is the staff turnover rates for each of these positions in each community;
2. How many staff are covering vacancies in other communities and/or regions;
3. What is the rate of people presenting as suicidal or self-harming by health centre and hospital; and
4. How many of those people presenting as suicidal or self-harming are brought in by police or other first responders?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Returns to written questions. Replies to the Commissioner's address. Petitions. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

Quayanni. I wish to table the following document: 2021-2022 Amended Capital Budgets: Northwest Territories Power Corporation and Northwest Territories Hydro Corporation. Quanani.

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. Motions. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Quayanni. I wish to present to the House Bill 46: An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act to be read for the first time. Quayanni.

Thank you, Minister. Pursuant to rule 8.2(3), Bill 46: An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act is deemed read for the first time and is now ready for second reading.

First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 23, Bill 29, Bill 38; Minister's Statement 202-19(2); Tabled Document 561, 567, 578, 579-19(2).

By the authority given to me as Speaker by Motion 1-19(2), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hour of adjournment to consider the business before the House, with Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes in the chair.

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Merci, Madam la Presidente. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023, with Municipal and Community Affairs, Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Legislative Assembly, and Lands. Mahsi, Madam Chair.