Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

That's fine, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member now from the Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In terms of revenues and potential revenues from our parks and campgrounds, I know that there were some changes made recently. So on the one hand, I'm wondering what the department can do to ensure that low income people across our territory still have as much access as possible to parks and campgrounds. I'll start with that one. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, this was the first increase to the cost of our park fees, our park stays for the first time in 15 years. It works out to about 40 cents a year for the campsite per night, or a $5 increase. And while we want as many people, for sure, to enjoy our parks as possible, we've tried to ensure that we're keeping up with kind of industry standards as well as still ensuring that we are making that sector a viable sector for people who operate private campgrounds as well in the territory. And I can confirm for the Member as well that we're not -- we're kind of right in the middle of park fees across the country. So we weren't striving to be at the top end of that or anything. We wanted to make sure that it was a reasonable increase to keep up with the costs. But I can also confirm too that we still heavily subsidize park costs across the territory. So it is not a revenue neutral enterprise at all. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And then my follow-up to that is on the other hand, we still see things like major discounts, 50 percent discount for long-term stays, and so I'm wondering -- that seems to me like an opportunity to gain more revenues in that that's a pretty lucrative thing, at least around here, for people to be able to sort of reserve a spot for the whole summer at a campground or something and something people might be willing to pay more for. So can the Minister explain the rationale for this kind of large discount for that kind of what I would call a perk and whether that's being looked at for a potential way to increase revenue? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the Member is absolutely right. It is two parks close to the proximity of Yellowknife that offer these long-term stay discounts. It's Prelude Lake and Reid Lake. Unfortunately, because those two long-term stays and the significant discount of them is prescribed in legislation, it's a longer change than simply a regulatory change which is much, much easier to do. Why those two landed in legislation back in the day, I'm not sure but they did. So I hear the Member and absolutely acknowledge what she is saying, but it is definitely a long-term tackle. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll go to the Member for Yellowknife North.

That's fine. Thank you for that. And that is quite astonishing to see that that specific thing was included in legislation. Thank you.

Thank you. Colleagues, we're going to stop here with a hard stop at 8 o'clock, and we'll resume tomorrow. So noting the clock, committee, I will now rise and report progress. Thank you to the Minister and to your witnesses. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber.

---SHORT RECESS

Thank you. I was going to make a little note here that the Speaker had said that they're going to be meeting until eight, so because of that, noting the time, I just want to thank the Minister and your witnesses. And then we will resume tomorrow.

So sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses out of the chamber, and I will report progress. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Minister's Statement 4-20(1), Minister's Statement 5- 20(1), Minister's Statement 17-20(1) and Minister's Statement 24-1(1), Tabled Document 111-20(1), and Tabled Document 93-20(1), and would like to report progress with one motion carried, and consideration of Minister's Statement 4-20(1), Minister's Statement 5- 20(1), Minister's Statement 17-20(1) and Minister's Statement 24-1(1) are concluded. And, Mr. Speaker, I move that the Report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Can I have a seconder, please. Inuvik Twin Lakes. All those in favour? Opposed? Absention? Close vote, but motion passed.

---Carried

Reports of Committee of the Whole. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item number 15, notices of motion. Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER. Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Member from Yellowknife Centre wishes to go to item number 15 on orders of the day. Any nays? Seeing no nays, Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, June 12th, 2024, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, that the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs direct the emergency management organization to draft all emergency plans for every Northwest Territories community over the next two years, to ensure all plans are reasonably and consistently done;

And furthermore, that the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs provide financial support to all applicable governments, to allow them to fine-tune and complete their specific community emergency plan reflective of their respective community needs, inventorying of assets and assessment of their partners and supports;

And furthermore, once a community plan is prepared, the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs posts each community emergency plan on the Municipal and Community Affairs website, to ensure they are publicly accessible for transparency;

And furthermore, that the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs acquires the financial resources for each community, to ensure all plans are reviewed and practiced from time to time, based on reasonable industry standards, which will demonstrate leadership and confidence in these safety plans for all Northwest Territories residents;

And furthermore, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this motion within 120 days.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Notices of Motion. Third reading of bills. Orders of the day, Mr. Clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk.

This House stands adjourned until Tuesday, June 11th, 2024, at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 7:51 p.m.