Kieron Testart

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...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is a very welcome amendment to the Summary Conviction Procedures Act. The Minister, in his opening comments, mentioned that this amendment is expected to significantly reduce demand for parking ticket matters on Justice of the Peace court and related provision of sheriff services. I can attest to that, as a former deputy sheriff who has spent many long hours waiting for parking ticket matters to be resolved and seeing no one from the general public show up to attend on their trial matters. It is clearly a system that is antiquated. This brings us forward, and it...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While we are on the subject of this bill, I have received some correspondence from several marriage commissioners in the Northwest Territories who feel that there are sections of the bill that don't speak to the changing regulatory environment they are working in, specifically around marriage fees. Can the Minister confirm if marriage commissioners were consulted on the bill and if their concerns were taken into account when the bill was brought forward to the House? Thank you.