Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On May 25th, the Minister of Health and Social Services spoke on the GNWT's public education awareness campaign related to cannabis in preparation for legalization and in preparation to us passing our own laws. I don't want to focus on what is obviously being proposed that we will debate at a later day, but on his statement. It seems like there is a lot of work that has been undertaken already on educating people. Could the Minister provide approximate costs of what has been spent on this public campaign and where the resources are coming from? Thank you.

Thank you to the Minister. I'm glad that that contribution is remaining and is consistent on that. The former visitors centre is still in its previous location on our otherwise pristine capital grounds here. Can the Minister advise on what the plan for the old building is? Are we tearing it down, are we going to salvage the structure, and who is going to pay for it at the end of the day?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, visitors centre-related activities here in the City of Yellowknife have been handled by the municipal government, and they have done a great job. They have even gone so far as to reach out to Behchoko and to the Yellowknives Dene to develop a shared tourism product. They are already finding ways not just to offer opportunities here but throughout the Northwest Territories. What they lack is a visitors centre.

I would like to ask the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment how the department is working with the City of Yellowknife to deliver a tourism...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the Chair of Committee of the Whole leave the chair and rise to report progress. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister just confirm whether or not that was what the department has already undertaken? I am more interested in the detailed multi-year funding proposal that is in to the federal government. Can the committee or the public see that proposal at this time? Thank you.

Thank you to the Minister. I would very much appreciate that. I do not recall any specific spending in the last budget towards cannabis public education. This is obviously an issue that is very important as we roll out this process. Can the Minister just confirm whether or not it was additional money voted in the budget or whether it is internal resources from the department proper?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for that update. Finally, as it relates to supporting tourism in the capital or, indeed, throughout the Northwest Territories, the Minister said that the resources are very limited and the demand is outpacing them. Given the needs in Yellowknife and given the needs across the territory, is the Minister willing to bring forward additional financial resources or adjust the budget so we can properly seize on the opportunities presented by tourism? As I said in my statement, Mr. Speaker, they are limitless, but we certainly need to invest in them...

Thank you to the Minister. That is good news. What is the long-term plan for this project? Is it ongoing contribution to support operations until that study is done, or is this the extent of the support this government is providing for tourism services in Yellowknife?

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the start of Tourism Week in Canada and to celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of the tourism industry here in the Northwest Territories. We can all talk at great length about the need for further economic diversification into new industries in the Northwest Territories, but nothing compares to the sheer potential of our tourism markets. While I still believe that national resource extraction will continue to be the economic bedrock of the NWT, we must look toward other opportunities that can bolster our economy in times of low commodity prices...

I am not aware of any marriages that have occurred since 2006, at least, of minors in the Northwest Territories. I am just wondering why, again, this is required. It seems like the department has put a lot of thought into putting safeguards around it, but, if no one is using this section of the bill, why does it need to be there?