Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I spoke about the importance of settling outstanding rights agreements, and one of our mandate commitments is to focus on the issue of making land accessible, that is, to complete land use plans for all areas, including regions without Land and Resource Agreements in collaboration with Aboriginal governments. So I have questions today for the Minister of Lands. Can the Minister tell us what the status of this is and if we're close to completing land claims in the Dehcho and the Akaitcho Settlement Agreements specifically? Thank you.

Minister, can you repeat the exact amount? I couldn't hear you. Thank you.

I think there's a difference between making progress and a new offer. My understanding of a new offer within 90 days is there will be a new offer on the table for full consideration. Was that made? Was there a full deal given for consideration in this process, or was it only the appointments of the ministerial special representative from both governments that changed this process? That's certainly a new of way going forward, but I think it pales in comparison in a fully realized deal.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under the activity description on page 205, it indicates that this activity includes marketing and promotion of NWT mineral and petroleum resources to attract investment in exploration, development, and production for the benefit of all NWT residents. I am wondering if the Minister can identify the total marketing budget or total dollar amount of resources attached to marketing our resources to attract investment in exploration? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker earlier today I spoke about the Premier's commitments to settling land claims by the end of this Assembly. The direct quote is, "Let's get these land claims completed, all of them, in the life of the 18th Assembly." I would like to ask the Premier today if we are on track to do that and if these claims will be settled by the end of the 18th Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and thank you to the Minister for that. However, I am a bit disappointed that that is the only concrete thing we can look at. Surely, there must be more. I am a bit beside myself that we are doing nothing new in what we are offering to develop this industry. Does the Minister agree with that assessment of this status quo as terms of support to the industry? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think one of the most important things that we can do for future generations is invest in the foundations of a strong and stable economy that can withstand the often tumultuous boom-and-bust cycle that our resource-driven industries so often leave us in. We want to diversify our economy. We want to reinvest in mining so we can use the benefits of that to fuel that diversification, to build a knowledge economy, to fund critical infrastructure. The one thing holding all of these objectives back, Mr. Speaker, are land claims or, as they should be known, land...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I look forward to the detailed information on that tourism destination marketing spending. With that, I will conclude my questions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That decrease was from last year to this year. However, in the 2015-16 actuals, also listed on page 206, we see almost a million-dollar decrease to the NTGS. What explains that sharp loss in available funding? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the Minister for that clarification. How much contribution funding do we provide specifically for the purpose of destination marketing to NWT tourism and through other sources as well? How much are we spending on destination marketing? Thank you.