Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the work has not progressed to this stage at this point. It's work that we continue to essentially identify, uproot, and then prioritize first and foremost at the Cabinet table in relationship to the other priorities that have been identified by this Assembly. It, at this point, really is about determining what makes the most sense. There are some items that have been identified that may have a minimal economic impact for the Northwest Territories but might be very important to one person, and it doesn't mean that we, as a government, want to discount items that are important but figuring out first and foremost what may be some out-of-the-box options as to how to address them. And it doesn't mean that we're not addressing any of them to begin with.

For example, when it comes to the issue of remote lodges, we've already been able to work closely with some of these operators to identify different funding mechanisms that they can tap into to address some of the needs and some of the issues that they're identifying within their specific lodge. But that doesn't kind of go upstream, which is what some of this work is intending to do. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to a Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thanks for that. I mean, I understand that not everything that's identified is going to be the top priority for the whole of government, but I do think this links well, and it doesn't say explicitly but, you know, with the red tape reduction working group and the overall efforts within government to try to respond and -- yeah, be more responsive to small businesses, entrepreneurs in terms of removing barriers. So I hope that that work as a whole can be made more front and center, public, in terms of what is being done, what can be done, what concerns are being heard.

Anyway, I will leave that for a second. But I also wanted to ask -- and I apologize, I can't seem to find a page number in the business plan anymore but I did write it down -- there are tourism business mentorships, and it was noted that there were four mentees for 2025-2026. And in terms of youth mentors for tourism, there were five mentees in 2025-2026. This seems like a good program.

Can you clarify, first, is this through the SEED program; and secondly, are we meeting all the demands or applications for mentors and mentees or, you know, are there even more requests out there that we couldn't meet because of limited funding? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

So, Mr. Chair, it is a program through the tourism mentorship fund, so not through SEED, so it is separate. And in addition to that, it's a program that was captured as part of Tourism 2025.

As far as I know, we are not receiving or not being inundated with requests for mentorship, and it is always the goal of industry, tourism and investment, if somebody is wanting to pursue some type of mentorship that has to do with business that we're going to find somebody to pair them up with and at least always make that connection. It's a department that is very much based in relationship building because that's where we see the greatest amount of success when we're talking about supporting young entrepreneurs or new entrepreneurs. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go back to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, I wonder if the Minister then can take this opportunity to explain a bit more publicly about what this program is, what its purpose is, you know, why people should apply or, you know, who should apply, and the youth program, what that's about, just so there's more awareness. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, we have funding of roughly $30,000 annually that is dedicated to young professionals that are interested in becoming business owners or further developing their business within the tourism industry. So it pairs, you know, fresh or new entrants to the tourism industry with more experienced professionals who act as the mentor. And these are people who are willing to share their years of expertise and knowledge as well as their business acumen. So, so to speak, getting to be paired up with people who, you know, have tried it the hard way or tried it a way that maybe wasn't well placed within their community and kind of worked through some of those ins and outs and are willing to share it with the next generation. I, as a past business owner myself, have found that business owners in the Northwest Territories are quite excited and quite generous with their time and expertise and willing to really grow that next generation. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Okay, that's all my questions on tourism. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Okay, thank you. Are there any other Members that have questions? Okay, seeing none, please turn to page 245.

Industry, tourism and investment, tourism and parks, $18,206,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. There are additional information items from page 249 to 253. Are there any questions? Moving on. Thank you, Members.

Please return to the department summary found on page 227 with information items on page 228 to 231. Are there any questions?

Seeing no further questions, committee, I will now call the departmental summary, industry, tourism and investment, operational expenditures, total department 2026-2027 Main Estimates, $68,954,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. Thank you, Minister, and thank you to the witnesses for appearing before us. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses from the chambers.

I am going to go to the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move the chair rise and report progress.

Thank you. There's a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion carried.

---Carried

I will now rise to report progress. Thank you, Members, and to the witnesses.

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Table Document 448-20(1), 2026-2027 Main Estimates, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be conferred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Can I have a seconder? I am going to probably pick on the guy from Thebacha. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? Motion carried.

Reports of committee of the whole. Third reading of bills. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I move, second by the honourable Member from Nunakput, that Bill 33, Technical Safety Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the third time. Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote.

The motion is in order. To the motion.