Mahsi. Mr. O'Reilly.

Great. Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yeah, I appreciate that. Pass it on to some folks that I know. So I would like to know, you know, the name of this activity is minerals and petroleum resources. So how many staff does ITI have that are assigned to oil and gas or petroleum resources, and are all those positions filled right now? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, let me see if perhaps the deputy minister might have that -- the number in terms of the positions -- oh well, we do have. Six positions right now, Mr. Chair, in the PRO office. As for whether they are filled, again let me see if the deputy has that information. If not, we'll get back to the Member. Thank you.

Mahsi. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yeah, so I guess in the last fiscal year there was a review done for OROGO in terms of looking at their needs and so on given that oil and gas activities are way way down. In fact, I don't think there's anything happening other than some oil abandonments, maybe M18 perhaps if it ever gets going. But has ITI actually ever done kind of a needs assessment, a review of its oil and gas resourcing, and, you know, the staff levels and so on in that part of its department -- you know, activities, to look at whether there might be some efficiencies there? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So there certainly is -- I mean, there's going to be some work that is still underway that -- for example, there's still management of assets. There's still monitoring of areas where interest is being held. The staff in Inuvik are also working on the mineral development -- mineral resources -- mineral resource regulations development. There is M18, as noted. So it's not necessarily a traditional sense of out drilling oil rigs. There's still a fair bit of work that needs to be undertaken and that is undertaken by this office. And as I'm saying this, there's a flood of information from staff coming in as to all the various and many things they do. So perhaps I suggest rather than listing that off now and taking the time, I can certainly provide a brief explanation to the Member to describe what that office is responsible for. Thank you.

Mahsi. Ms. Nokleby.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I just wanted to start on page 234 with the increase in funding to the NWT geological survey. I do know that $50,000 of that is to explore the possibility of using the fine silica sand at the Nechalacho rare earth deposit, whether or not there's some sort of cement potential for that. And could the Minister speak to, do we have the results of this assessment around the potential there and if so, do we have potential there? Thank you.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Let me see if the deputy minister has a more up to date report.

Deputy minister.

Mahsi. Ms. Nokleby.

I never thought I would be so excited about hearing about cement but, yes, I'm really happy to hear that there is that potential. And it is my understanding that not only could it be used for basic cement products but that it is also such a high grade that there's other really sort of niche applications for some of our sand. So I think that's awesome, and I am excited to look into that or get more information on that as it progresses. And thank you for answering what the other portion of that money or that increase was for, because that was going to be my next question. So I appreciate that.

I just wanted to ask a little bit about the Chamber of Mines. And so I know that the Minister explained that the $55,000 supports various activities. Given that mining plays such a huge part in our industry, and pretty much is our industry as I said earlier in my reply to the budget address, besides the government itself, you know, and given that tourism, which is such a small portion of our industry gets such a huge investment of millions of millions of dollars, it's actually quite shameful to me that we only provide the Chamber of Mines with $55,000.

Recently, we attended the geoscience forum. There was a lot of excitement for that to be in-person once again, however, it was apparent that the chamber is struggling to meet the demands of the industry and to do the correct lobbying that such an important industry and contributor to our GDP would require. And I don't get that difference between why tourism is getting such a -- if we go to -- when we get to the next pages, I think it's, like $6 million and the Chamber of Mines is only getting $55,000. Can the Minister speak to whether there's a plan to increase funding to the Chamber of Mines? Thank you.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I mean, some of this will be owing to historical funding arrangement. I would note with respect to Northwest Territories Tourism as an organization specifically, the function of providing marketing and promotion of tourism was handed over to Northwest Territories Tourism. So they do get a larger proportion of funding in that respect because they don't have some of the programs and services -- or rather, they are undertaking programs and services that used to at one time be done by the GNWT and therefore are an organization that is actively acting in our stead whereas ITI continues to have, for example, the client service and community relations officers who would provide some of that similar pathfinding for the mineral resources sector. So there is a bit of a difference in function there. But I would acknowledge it is alive to me that the Chamber of Mines is facing some struggles and the fact is as the industry faces struggles -- and they're commodity-based, if they struggle, their own membership is less well placed to contribute and then that is exactly what would happen. So I don't have a solution for the sustainability of the Chamber of Mines right now, but we are alive to that challenge. Thank you.

Mahsi. Ms. Nokleby.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I appreciate that explanation because it is something that I've never actually really delved into but kind of always wondered about. And don't get me wrong, I fully support the tourism industry and I'm super excited to see all of the return of the blue parkas around town and here at the Chamber, coming in to see the Assembly while we've been in session and such, so fully deserved to the tourism industry. They're doing great work in getting our name out there. And, you know, there is also even a cross-component there. You know, there is a need now for -- or an interest in mining tourism. Diavik, before the pandemic -- I think it was Diavik -- I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong -- was planning to do some flights up to the mine and take people up there to show them what we do and, you know, sort of the difference that the diamond mining is because it is actually quite an inert type of mining compared to, say, gold or other heavy metals. So yes, I will actually be anticipating sometime in the next year seeing a significant ask for the Chamber of Mines to be increased given the essential need for that industry in our territory. Literally, it is the reason that we have been able to be afloat over the last few years.

In relation to that, some of the work the chamber does, and I believe they are part of this but it may be the Mine Training Society, is the prospector training course. I posted about the prospector training course on social media and it got a huge reaction to it. Actually surprisingly so, and not just from my nerdy geological friends.

So can the Minister speak to a little bit more about that training course, who's been putting it on and, you know, the intent for the future of it and expansion, really? Thank you.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The prospector training course is indeed a success, and it's one that has had a lot of increasing uptake. Perhaps I'll just turn it to the deputy minister who might have some numbers to provide. Thank you.

Deputy minister.