Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to put a little bit of a spotlight on the item for conservation planning and sustainable livelihood but specifically sustainable livelihoods.

In the department's business plan, there is quite a lot of focus and a lot of measures around how we are managing the success of our community harvesting and trapping, all of these really fantastic programs that are aimed -- and according to the department's business plan -- to address the effects of trauma but, you know, also to help bolster people's connection to the land and getting out on the land.

Can the Minister please explain, then, if there's so many ways to measure the effectiveness of these programs, why the dollar amount for this line item has gone down? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Minister for Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'll pass it to director St. Arnaud. Thank you.

Director St. Arnaud.

Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And that's good to hear we're not taking money or dollars away from those really crucial programs and the good work that they do. I know they're very popular in all of our regions, and it's good to see them continue and to be so carefully evaluated for their success. It's a really good success story for the department.

My next question on this section is specifically around legislative initiatives. There is a decrease in budget as well for the policy legislation evaluation and communications line item. So considering the fact that ECC is the GNWT's largest user of the IGC legislative development protocol, how can the Minister explain this? Thank you.

Minister for Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll pass to director St. Arnaud, please.

Director St. Arnaud.

Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can we just say generally that, you know, the folks in this division do a lot of great work, as I'm sure the department knows, I know. But it's a lot of heavy lifting. It's a lot of really important work. And I would just suggest that if we are wanting to do expedient and good work on this, on legislative initiatives, it might be worthwhile setting up similar -- something similar to the way that ITI approached the MRA. It's more of a comment than a question but just -- just if the Minister would like to respond. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister for Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, Madam Chair, I think we take a very collaborative approach on all of the work that we do. And I take the Member's point on the small reduction. It was part of the overall attempt to make a department-wide approach at some of the fiscal sustainability measures that we were looking at. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Nothing further.

Next, I have the Member for the Sahtu.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think this is the appropriate activity to ask this question on the bilateral nature fund agreement with the federal government.

Given the expiry of this current agreement, if so will it be sufficient to cover the GNWT's commitments; how does the ECC anticipate funding future protected areas? I guess there's kind of like two combined questions there, Madam Chair. Number one, is there going to be more efforts being made to renew the bilateral nature fund agreement? Then if so, are we going to have sufficient funds there to pursue protected areas? Mahsi.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, we just recently signed a new bilateral nature agreement for $7 million with the federal government a week and a bit ago, and we also have been given approval to carry over the unspent balance from this fiscal year. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Member for the Sahtu.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And how much is the unspent balance? Thank you.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change.