Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to go to -- I guess back to the fishing. And we have the revitalization strategy so I'm just wondering if there will be any more additional funds allocated to advancing that strategy and efforts to increase, I guess, the number of fishers into the territories or into the industry? Thank you.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, right now we did have an influx just as part of the winter fishery obviously for this current fiscal to support the winter fishery. But -- that was a million dollars. As for what might be needed for -- I mean, I don't know how far into the future we're looking. I mean, there may well need to be something further into the future but at the moment, CanNor has provided some significant supports. It's going directly to Tu Cho, not to the GNWT, so it's not necessarily showing up here. But they have received, as I say, a million dollars going in to support their development of the industry. With that kind of support for the moment, there's not an immediate need from the GNWT. Thank you.

Mahsi. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So are we looking, I guess, at the federal government programs to, I guess, to advance the revitalization strategy more so than use internal funds? Thank you.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm happy to take the federal money before I need to spend the GNWT's money. And for the moment, we have seen a fair bit of support from CanNor. And I think I said earlier this fiscal, I think I meant this book in front of me. So it's for the 2023-2024 year that there's a million dollars expected to go in to the Tu Cho on behalf of CanNor. At least that's what we were sort of hoping right now. Nothing is completely confirmed but anticipating that dollar -- that those dollars are invested. And if so, there is not -- again, there's not a need for more money from the GNWT. There has also been a fair bit of money from CanNor into the fish plant and into the fish revitalization strategy. So it's an area where we expect them to continue to be involved, given the investments to date. And, you know, certainly, as with anything, if the GNWT winds up in a situation to have to fill gaps, then that can happen. But for now, it doesn't look like that's a need that's been identified. Thank you.

Mahsi. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to question about the Canadian Agriculture Partnership. You know, we see the increase there from 488 to 1220, and I'm just wondering, you know, we're spending that kind of money and what benefits -- or when we will we see benefits from money spent in agricultural-type partnerships or initiatives? Thank you.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. With respect to seeing benefits, I mean, Mr. Chair, this is an area that was seeing fairly significant growth prior to two years of rather significant floods obviously and the agriculture sector was very dramatically impacted by the floods. I know the Member will be very well aware of that. That said, we are seeing that the sector's bouncing back, that folks are returning, and it's hoped that with -- given that there's been this change on the federal system and the increase of money coming through the federal CAP program, that this may be an opportunity for folks to really rebuild in a sort of rapid fashion. So, again, exactly what the timeline of growth will be, perhaps after next Friday when I'm at the agriculture association's AGM, Mr. Chair, I'd be happy to answer more questions about what they envision to be the next steps for their industry. Thank you.

Mahsi. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, one of the issues, I guess, well after the flooding is that, you know, location of land that was being used for agriculture. And so some of the people actually are looking for different areas to secure so they can continue. I guess one of the issues is going through the consultation with the Indigenous groups. So is your department, I guess, working with Lands to try and identify and maybe secure lands for people who want to continue farming that are outside of the flood zone? Thank you.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am familiar with at least one project in particular where I know there was definitely a story of an individual who I think in fact did go ahead and move away. But, Mr. Chair, simple answer, absolutely happy to work with Lands. I know the department officials are already working with Lands and there was, not that long ago, that myself and Minister Thompson often had regular check-ins and meetings because we have overlaps such as this one. So what I can do on my end is confirm that we'll add that to a future meeting that we have between the two departments with Ministers and deputies. Thank you.

Mahsi. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And one thing I mentioned earlier today was support for retail businesses. I know in Hay River I've talked to a number of them and a lot of them are suffering, I guess, you know, because of COVID, because of the flooding. And, you know, some are, you know, talking about actually closing up shop. They're finding it difficult, you know, to find -- to get goods. They're finding it difficult to compete against, you know, the big box stores, you know, with online shopping and that. So I think it's -- we need to do something to provide some support for it, and that was what I was asking for earlier today, was to earmark some dollars specifically for that. And that's just not for -- not just for Hay River but for Yellowknife and other communities as well because, you know, you look at the downtown core here in Yellowknife and you see that it's pretty well dried up for retail outlets. So is there anything on the radar to provide support directly to the small retailers? Thank you.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, I mean this is a time where I would say that the pandemic recovery, although many indicators show a recovery, there certainly are -- it certainly hasn't been even. It hasn't been even for all individual businesses or all individual retailers for example. I can certainly follow up, you know, perhaps with some of the chambers as well, just to see if there's specific types of businesses or retailers that are struggling more than others. One of the things I can say that's happening, perhaps more over on the BDIC side, is that there's efforts to work with businesses to develop online -- their own online marketing and their own online sales opportunities and basically to try to innovate the business models that exist because the industry's changing and commercialization's changing across Canada. It's -- we can't cover losses. We can cover changes in innovations. And I say "we" in the broad sense - ITI and BDIC. So happy to provide more information of that sort to the Member if that's what he's looking for. Thank you.

Mahsi. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just on economic diversification and business supports, I see that we went from 349 down to nothing. Can you just talk a bit about that and give me some idea of, you know, when we talk to diversification, what are we looking at, I guess, on a smaller scale for communities? Thank you.

Mahsi. Minister.

Mr. Chair, I'm going to suggest this go to the deputy minister, please.

Deputy minister.