Thank you, Madam Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ITI who is responsible for our beautiful 33 camps and parks campgrounds and parks across this territory. And my question is whether she's going to let me go winter camping this winter? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Minister of ITI.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I would be very happy if the Member would like to go winter camping. I'm not a barrier to him going winter camping. What I can't do is necessarily open up a park, bring in park staff, bring in cleaning staff, bring in the enforcement and monitoring officers to make sure that parks don't get wrecked, although I'm sure the Member wouldn't do that. I can't commit to doing all of that and to expending those resources on his behalf. But I'd be very happy to hear if he goes out into the wilderness, onto the land, and takes pictures to promote tourism in the North. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Yeah, thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm actually not sure that's legal, and I believe the Department of Lands is working on temporary guidelines when temporary structures can be set up on public land. But they first have to evict 900 people. So I'm not too sure about that. I guess my question is, I assume that we own some wall tents. We own a company that makes them at the very least. I assume we own a few cabins in the territorial government. Is the Minister willing to look through all of our parks and campgrounds and see whether there is some sort of infrastructure that could possibly be rented out under the NWT Parks banner? I think it would be a great tourism activity. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I certainly can make a commitment to go and see what might be available. What I might also suggest, though, Madam Speaker, is perhaps an opportunity for the Member, who I know is passionate about this particular issue, to check in with myself and with the department and perhaps also NWT Tourism. There are a number of private operators would like to get into this space. There may be access to parks facilities but, again, they may require further capital costs to be where the Member wants them to be. But let's get to the heart of what the issue and what the barriers are. I'd like to not be a barrier to the private sector. But if there's a way to get more people accessing the lands, then I'd be thrilled to find a way to do that. So, again, perhaps a takeaway isn't just for us but it's to go with the Member and see exactly where are the gaps that we aren't filling for this sector. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
