Alfred Moses

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the high cost of living in the North with all three regions – Yukon, Nunavut and here in the Northwest Territories – and the downturn in the economy not only in the Northwest Territories but throughout Canada and the world, what is the department doing to look at a pan-territorial plan forward to work with other neighbouring jurisdictions to get more tourism up in the Arctic and across the North? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my next question is in regard to the communities and regions that do provide some very unique and innovative tourism packaging or excursions that we don’t get to see throughout other parts of the NWT. If we don’t increase the budget in our tourism, if that should fail, what is the commitment of the Minister to get more funding out to these regions and communities so that when we have workshops, like we did in the community of Hay River and Inuvik, those projects get the funding in the budgets that they need to run a successful tourism project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week in the community of Inuvik, over 20 different stakeholders including businesses, tour operators and local governments from the Beaufort-Delta region came together to discuss possibilities and opportunities for increased and diversified tourism products and experiences for the region as a way to supplement the challenging economy in the area.

The group was very pleased with the support from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment as well as Northwest Territories Tourism, who partnered to provide an all-day interactive training workshop for...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Standing Committee on Social Programs conducted its public review of Bill 2, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, on August 23, 2012. The committee thanks the Minister and his staff for presenting the bill. The bill provides minor, uncontroversial amendments to several acts, most simply corrected translations and clarify wording in the acts. Following the committee’s review, a motion was carried to report Bill 2, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2012, to the Assembly as ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.

This concludes the committee’s...

Mr. Speaker, with great projects like we just had in Inuvik here with the working group meeting for a full day and coming up with a nice, detailed plan and looking at following up in terms of getting this project off the ground and providing some kind of economic base up in an area that’s really needing that economic boom, the department did support that day-long workshop.

What is the department willing to commit to in terms of funding to the Beaufort-Delta region should they move forward on this project and meeting the resources that they need? What is the department willing to do and commit...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to follow up to my Member’s statement earlier, talking about tourism. In the NWT, the NWT has the second lowest tourism marketing budget of all regions throughout Canada, with a return of investment of over $100 million into the territory.

I would like to ask the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment what is his department doing to compete with these other jurisdictions so that we remain competitive in the marketplace in terms of tourism. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government and territory is on the verge of making a big decision come the New Year, and that’s in regard to the Inuvik-Tuk highway. There has been a lot of debate and a lot of discussions, both in the media and this House as well as in the communities. Some discussions were talked about and it seems like this is a new project. This is not a new project. This project itself has been on the federal government books since the 1970s, and more recently within this government since the late 1980s. It just happens that today with this government, the 17th Legislative...

The Minister alluded to justice committees and alternatives in terms of programs in the communities. Can the Minister confirm how many communities in the Northwest Territories actually have active community justice committees and what type of activities they’re carrying out in terms of diversion?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Over the past few months, there has been a rash of criminal activity in the community of Inuvik. However, today on the news you all heard of the great efforts that the local RCMP attachment and its members are making.

I would like to congratulate the Inuvik RCMP Detachment for their continued support and ongoing work with the community, and their commitment and tireless efforts to make Inuvik a healthy and safe community. I personally worked with the RCMP on the Not Us campaign and also at the Inuvik Interagency Committee where their presence, involvement and engagement help...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I, too, just want to make a couple of comments in regard to the Children First Centre and knowing that is precedent setting and that coming out of this, if government is able to create a policy in which it tops up funding for registered NGOs in the Territories to be able to run their programs and to create capital projects, such as the hard work of the dedicated people of the community of Inuvik, I think this government should be supporting those kind of programs seeing as how we’re in a fiscal restraint. When a community can work hard and help find funding for 80...