Thank you, Madam Chair. Basically, I guess what happened, there weren't any hearings, or kind of, in that year, I suspect. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. I guess I'd just clarify that. I was just looking at actuals for 2018-2019, and we jumped up to $448,000 and then the main estimates show $452,000. I'm just wondering what is the difference between the $332,000 and where that comes in. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to talk about those board appointments as well. I do have a problem with them. I guess it's hard for me to understand that the DMs -- I suspect they have a lot of work; probably a full-time job. To sit on the board and, I guess, kind of, give direction to, say, it's the Power Corporation or whoever; I don't believe that's working. I don't think that they can give good advice.

I know that they all have experience in certain areas. Some of them probably have no idea about utilities, for instance. They probably try and do their best. I'll give them that. I think that it's important that we actually look at putting people on there who do have the experience. If we want to move forward with trying to lower rates and do a better job in education with our power rates, we need people on there who know what they're doing. I guess that's more of a comment that I wanted to make, as well.

I do have a question on page 109. Public utility boards; I see that our actual was $332,000, and in the main estimates, it's $452,000, so it's a little better than $100,000. I know that it's not a lot of money, so what was the purpose for that little increase?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister be willing to throw another $500,000 for grant money for the fishers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Does the Minister's department work with DFO and/or the WSCC to ensure vessels are inspected and are seaworthy and have the necessary safety equipment to meet safety standards?

I'll ask the Minister: are there any funds that will be put towards ensuring fishers have access to safety equipment, such as the emergency position indicating radio beacons, which can help locate fishermen or vessels if something happens?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said in my statement, fishing is one of the most challenging and dangerous occupations. As such, we must ensure that our fishers are provided safe working conditions and the tools to make that happen here in the NWT. My first question for the Minister of ITI is: the NWT fishing revitalization strategy focuses mainly on production of fish and is silent on safety; can the Minister confirm if it includes the supports to improve fisher safety, and, if so, what are those safety supports? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions were going to be for the Minister of ITI, but listening to the Minister of health say “yes” all the time, I might ask her instead.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On September 29, 2019, four experienced fishers lost their lives on Great Slave Lake while they were making a living. I mention the words "making a living" because it seems that the fishers who provide a necessary food supply for NWT and our country are the most vulnerable workers there are, and we are not recognizing this. No one should be at risk while engaged in their livelihood. Certainly, it is time to recognize this issue. The fishers have not been recovered, and families are left in grief. Extreme weather on the lake and seasonal changes prevented a recovery of those fishers and the vessel. In addition to bad weather, there were equipment and safety failures that also prevented this from happening but also, more importantly, the lack of safety gear to help the fishers survive what we can only assume was the capsizing of the vessel.

Mr. Speaker, the Coast Guard and Department of Fisheries and Oceans made their best efforts to try to recover the vessel, but it was impossible, considering the weather and depth of water the boat was found in. We acknowledge their effort to assist the fishing families and the South Slave communities who aided the grieving families.

Mr. Speaker, some of us watch the Discovery TV series, the Deadliest Catch, and are aware of the danger of fishing the waters of the Bering Strait. What we don't know is that this program illustrates that fishing is dangerous no matter where the fishing takes place. Great Slave Lake is a large, dangerous lake to the uninitiated. The fishermen take their lives in their hands daily when they work on the lake. There have been many tragedies and losses of life on Great Slave Lake over the years, and that is not changing. We need to ask why.

Mr. Speaker, the International Labour Congress recognizes that fishing is the most challenging, hazardous occupation and identifies that the failures to protect the fishing community through convention and regulations on work conditions are a violation of basic human rights. We need to improve the safety of this work, and we have an obligation to our fishers.

Mr. Speaker, the commercial fishing revitalization strategy which was produced by ITI in the past Assembly places heavy emphasis on the production and sales of fish but very little or no emphasis on fishing safety. Are we willing to trade more lives to meet the production targets set by this strategy in this government? We need to address that. I'll have questions for the Minister of ITI later. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.