Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, and I'll just point that, you know, this $15 million here going, $10 million of it was from COVID secretariat, so clearly the department did a bit of an assessment of what is needed to increase that capacity for the endemic going forward and needed an extra $5 million. But we also know the Department of Health and Social Services, even with its budget, runs a deficit consistently.

I'm just trying to understand if there is still a gap, we think, of increased COVID costs on the healthcare system going forward or whether we think -- you know, I know we're not going to make up the deficit but whether we think this $15 million is adequately responding to what we need to do to make sure our healthcare system's properly funded in the year to come. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, at this point, there's certainly the, you know, expectation based on what was being done and what was being tracked over the last few months, the last few months of where COVID was at. You know, this is expected to get us through that transition. I'm hesitating because of course I don't think anyone really knows what may or may not happen, say, this fall. You know, there's certainly a hope that with the vaccination rates that we have, with the availability of vaccinations for youth, for boosters, etcetera, that we won't be back in any kind of significant situation and that this transition will provide a transition that carries us through into a longer term state.

And the comments with respect to the challenges that are in health and social services more generally, you know, again, I would point to the fact that there is inclusion here of, you know, increased capacity in community healthcare, community LPNs, primary care, public health, you know, recognizing the impacts of COVID-19 and what that did and allows now for -- while this is transition related, it actually may well have longer term benefits that have to go through the business planning cycle that is -- but, you know, when you start to move forward, you can go into the business planning cycle at least with a sense of what these impacts might be and what the hiring might be. And so, you know, it may well be that this is a transition that leads to longer term change, but that certainly remains to be seen. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Health and Social Services, health and social programs, not previously authorized, $15,504,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. Committee, Health and Social Services, total department, operation expenditures, not previously authorized, $6,481,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. Committee, please turn to page 11 of the tabled document. Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Industry, Tourism and Investment, corporate management, not previously authorized, negative $201,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. Industry, Tourism and Investment, tourism and in parks, not previously authorized, $600,000. Does committee agree? Oh, Member for Great Slave.

Sorry, Madam Chair. You're just so efficient; I missed my spot to stick my hand up.

I'm just curious to know under the Tourism Restart Program, maybe the Minister can just provide a little bit of detail on is that money going to end up in the hand of tourist businesses, or will some of that be used for corporate or administrative costs? Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, this is intended to go out to the operators. It's an extension of funding that is coming through the federal government in this case. Areas that we're targeting here is marketing and promotions, the operations again of tourism operators themselves, their capacity development, so training. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm really glad to hear that. I know the tourism operators probably are as well.

I'm curious to know that if we, and I would assume we will reach the $600,000, is there an opportunity for us to have more money come here, or will we see another supplement coming? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This is, right now, a one-time programming. It is -- we're part of -- I missed the name earlier, Tourism Relief Fund, which came out from the federal government and is extended through to the end of next year. I do hope that it's fully subscribed. That is certainly the point.

Whether we'll need anything further, you know, I can't say. Again, hoping we don't continue to need any sorts of relief or recovery.

The next stage of tourism funding would probably be looking over to the Tourism 2025, which is part of ITI's Main Estimates. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Industry, Tourism and Investment, tourism and parks, $600,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Industry, Tourism and Investment, total department, operation expenditures, not previously authorized, $1,008,000. Does committee agree?