Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think it’s any debate that there’s a holiday season coming up very shortly. I suspect I have a table officer that would back me up on that statement. My question is for the Premier. Noting that I wish all my constituents in Weledeh a very merry Christmas and the same to all the residents of the Northwest Territories, what are the wishes of the Premier today?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question is I just want to start by noting that a constituent recently returned from Edmonton, to report that Great Slave Lake pickerel was being sold at a shop for $32 a pound. I suppose that’s, what, $75 a kilogram or something like that? So I’m wondering again, what work does the Minister have underway to promote this world-class product and expand markets and production within sustainable limits, of course. Mahsi.

Thanks to the Minister for that response. The Sahtu, of course, is a clear leader in this area, along with some other areas of the NWT. So hats off there, but seriously, the biggest issue is access to land. Studies by the Territorial Farmers’ Association have indicated it would be very easy to provide a very large proportion of the food we need in terms of vegetables and even domestic meat with a modicum of support, but land is the biggest issue. So I’ll look forward to progress on that issue.

My second question, briefly, is: What work does the Minister have underway with his colleague, the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s unusual, I know, to recognize a table officer, but I’d like to. I know everybody will join me in recognizing my constituent, the wonderful Mr. Tony Whitford.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not even going to try to match that. I’d like to follow up on recent statements regarding the state of the mineral industry and our economy. A message of hope, I think fitting with the season.

Recent numbers and figures are used to compare NWT mineral activity to our sister territories, often painting a dim picture of prosperity. All troubles are laid at the feet of a supposedly dysfunctional regulatory regime. I offer a different viewpoint.

First, our economy is booming and growing. NWT rates of GDP growth in the past decade have consistently been among the highest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that response. One of my favourite activities is to go out and get the Christmas tree with my wife, in snowshoes, and bring it back. I enjoy the smell in the house. I’m wondering what is one of the favourite activities that the Premier engages in over the holiday season.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 8, oral questions, on the Order Paper.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you again for that response from the Minister. My third question along the line of diversification is Avalon Minerals has long been on record of offering secondary processing industry development if a deal can be made on economic electricity rates. What work does the Minister have underway with his colleague, again the Minister responsible for NTPC, to take advantage of this opportunity? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. I’d like to follow up, this seems to be a bit of a theme today, but I’m wondering what work does the Minister have underway with his colleagues, the Ministers of MACA and ENR, to free up agricultural land in our South Slave breadbasket, and I suppose the Deh Cho as well, to expand our agricultural industry towards the diversification of our economy away from one industrial sector? Mahsi.

What are in fact our real economic challenges? Employment remains disproportionately higher in major centres. Diversification of small community economies remains stalled. We accept unreasonable environmental costs for ever more of the almighty dollars. We underappreciate our domestic economy.

However, opportunities abound for development of our forests, fisheries, agriculture, arts and renewable energy resources that will lower operating and living costs. They await our focus.

There is work to be done, but a roaring economy is not a healthy economy. Merry Christmas to all.