Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to comment briefly on the SEED p rogram and the needs of the film industry. There’s been some work done to enhance support for the film industry and I think it’s been greatly appreciated, but there still seems to be a lot of frustration in that industry for the lack of the kind of support that they need.

I know this Minister supports the film industry. The 16th Assembly did some work in that area, but as the Minister knows, there is huge potential for business development here and for economic benefits that roll through the Northwest Territories and we have...

I guess I’ve just heard that it is indeed related to the slash to our Biomass Program. I think we’ve already committed to further discussions on that. I will look forward to those discussions.

Mr. Chair, thanks again for that explanation. I didn’t realize we were talking about different categories there. We have a new category here which is now NT Energy core funding for staff. I think I understand now. Again, a substantial drop from $1.25 million and, plus, $4.75 million in the past. This year $700,000 is the replacement figure.

Just quickly in my head, we are going from $6 million down to $700,000. Again, it is quite a drop and at a time – at the risk of repeating myself over departments – when energy issues and cost of living are indeed the issue of the day as well as economic...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate this opportunity. The first general comment refers to the decrease in this department, about 7 percent, and most of that was on the back of the energy initiatives side of the equation. I don’t think that’s in line with the priorities of this Assembly. More on that when we get to that page, but I did want to raise that for the Minister’s attention.

The increasing employment opportunities where they are most needed. I’m not sure that there’s a good match between the mining industry and many of our small and relatively remote communities. I think there are...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I may, just to conclude that discussion; I appreciate this opportunity. Obviously, that is exactly the concern. It is a very well designed process to be totally non-transparent and try and reduce the communications and transparency. I am glad to hear the work the Minister is doing on this with the municipalities. I hope he will take these concerns to those meetings. I hope he also expresses concern about the lack of transparency, such as not being able to talk to our sister territories because of concerns about confidentiality. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe that this page also falls under the offices of the summary on page 13-17. I am looking for your guidance here. If necessary, since this deals with the same thing, if it is simply details of the energy management I would introduce the same motion if the Chair felt it was necessary. Otherwise, I am happy to roll forward. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, thanks to the deputy minister for that explanation. I am just trying to get my finger on the pulse here. Were these dollars not available for work last year and in the past several years? Is this a new level of work being planned? I am just wondering. It seems like if we had staff, we should have been funding them. I am wondering where this is in the context of the last few years. Thank you.

I appreciate the Minister’s response there. Again, I hope that at some point in time there will be somebody who could turn their attention to that a little bit and see if we can’t be a little better to our people in terms of getting them to drink milk and not expect higher costs. I still think that’s an interest of the House.

On the other hand, I really do support the moving into the e-waste side. I’ll just note we now have an accumulated surplus, apparently, of $1.2 million in this area, so it’s not a question of affordability, which I think was one of the aspects that the Minister had raised...

Excellent. Thank you for that comment. What is the situation with Nunavut? Does the Minister know what Nunavut’s stance is on this Free Trade Agreement? Thank you.

At this time I would like to recognize constituents in the gallery. I’ve got Ms. Katrina Deneron out of Trout Lake, who won the safety poster contest, as well as Ms. Bertha Deneron with her, her sister Faith Deneron, and Bernice Hardisty, who was the organizer from Health and Social Services, Fort Simpson. Mahsi cho.