Yeah, okay, I guess I look forward to successful negotiations with the federal government then to increase this because I think it's really essential work that some of these folks do. So I don't think I have anything else, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there any further questions under the regulatory assessment and authorizations? Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I promise my colleague I just have one short question. Given that the -- oh, and I'm not going to get the terminology right but the Tlicho had asked for the all-season road -- or the road to have the big environmental assessment done on it for the Slave Geologic road. And I'm just wondering -- I know this is a little bit far out. But how -- would something like that, a scale of environmental assessment that size, would that cause us to then need more resources in this area of the department, or does it just -- because it would be sort of federal with the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board and whoever would be sort of doing it from the Nunavut side, does that not then -- does that incur any further cost to us as a government? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Yes, so we don't know -- like, we don't know right yet. But for the participation, I'll turn to the deputy minister. Thank you.

Thank you. Deputy minister.

Thank you. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you. I'm just going to reach a little bit further and ask then, in a normal process like this, does the federal government kick in extra money for such an important sort of nation building and critical mineral project? Do we anticipate that perhaps there would be federal funding that would be coming towards us given that it is quite important to Canada's critical mineral strategy. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you. So this is a new process, but we've been encouraging the federal government to give money to the Indigenous governments to do this. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you. And now I have a whole bunch of questions but I think I'm outside of the scope of what this budget item is about so I will stop there. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Are there any further questions from Members under regulatory assessment and authorizations? Seeing none, please turn to page 95.

Environment and Climate Change, regulatory assessment and authorizations, operations expenditure summary, 2023-2024 Main Estimates, $10,758,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. We will now go to wildlife and forest management on page 99 with information items on page 100 to 102. Minister.

Thank you. I'd like to switch up our witnesses, please. Thank you.

Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witness from the Chamber and bring in our new witness. Minister, please introduce your witness.

This time I'll get it right. Dr. Brett Elkin. Thank you.

Welcome. Okay, Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm looking at the forest management line item which has about a $5 million decrease in that line item. I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to what areas of forest management are receiving that decrease given that it's got kind of the forest and trees and all that side of it and it also has the fire side. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

So, again, it depends on the fire year how we allocate or use the money. But for further detail, I'll turn to the deputy minister. Thank you.

Okay. Deputy minister, Dr. Kelly.