Thank you, Madam Chair. No, that's really good to hear because communities -- I talked with my mayor of Tuk this morning and increases across the board cost -- like, for a litre of diesel fuel is $2.60 in the community of Tuk. So right across I think what we should be looking at through MACA is, like, you know, for the planning and stuff like that, they should be working with the communities and trying to get the actual cost so they're not stretching the communities so thin that, you know, they're having to make choices in regards to providing service. So is the Minister committed to working with the communities and I guess all the, you know, mayors to try to work with them to try to alleviate the pressure? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of MACA.

For that detail, I'll turn to the deputy minister. Thank you.

Thank you. Deputy minister Gareau.

Thank you. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Madam Chair. No, I really appreciate that. And then just to note, prices are increasing. I mean, we pay triple up in my riding in regards for everything. I think that the contractors' costs and increases in there for inflation on those contracts, it's going to trickle down to the constituent and we're going to having to start to just pay more. I am really hoping that the Minister and the department work with NWTAC to really get those hard numbers and look at that on a go forward with the plan in regards to helping small communities and small community governments. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of MACA.

Yes, so I agree with the Member. We do reach out to the communities, to our regional governments. We do the audits. We also work with NWTAC, as the deputy minister talked about. We also work with LGANT. That's the administrators that work with the communities. So we do have constant contact with the communities and the leadership as well as the staff there. So we do have those conversations there, but we will continue to do that. And, you know, NWTAC conference is in Hay River this June so we will be attending that as well. So we are working with them. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. No, I just want to -- for everything, like if we do take over carbon tax and stuff like that, it's going to be a lot -- they should be talking to them way quicker than June, a little sooner. You know, hearing it from the contractors' aspect in the community, it's not good. And they're barely making ends meet, Mr. Minister. I mean, again, I really stress that they do reach out to NWTAC and LGANT sooner rather than later and work together with them to try to provide for -- you know, provide service for our people. Thank you, Madam Chair. That's it.

Thank you. Minister of MACA.

The thing is that the NWTAC is just -- the conference is just one part of it. We do have constant conversations with NWTAC. I have meetings with the board of NWTAC. I think it's every three months we have meetings. We used to do it once a year, but we've opened it up. They have the opportunity to meet with Cabinet, not just at the bear pit but at other times as well. So we do have those conversations with NWTAC. But I can now honestly tell you that I have numerous phone calls from leadership, mayors from across the territories, chiefs, about their issues on a regular basis. They have my phone number, and we do have those conversations. But as well as our regional staff have those meetings with the leadership in their regions, so we are working with them. So the NWT -- and I apologize if the information sounded like we only do it once a year. It's on a regular basis. And we do take their concerns seriously. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other Members have questions for community operations? Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to the reduction in contract services which looks like it was reduced significantly for the size of the budget. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of MACA.

So that was our commitment from last year's budget when they asked us to do a cut, and this is our share of the cut. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm wondering where -- or what line item the delivery of Investing in Canada infrastructure plan audit came from and if that was in this section here. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister of MACA.

I'll turn to the director of corporate affairs. Thank you.

Thank you. Ms. Young.