Bob Bromley

Work currently is underway in Yellowknife through private contract to investigate how an integrated look at food security can improve living conditions for all here in Yellowknife. This is work that the department should be doing or at least promoting and participating in, providing leadership and support in all regions of the Northwest Territories. What is the government doing or what can it be doing to provide support for this beyond simply establishing community gardens? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Arlene Hache, executive director for the Centre for Northern Families and a constituent of Weledeh. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I agree that we do need to put a limit on it to be looking after the taxpayers’ dollar here and it’s a good debate on where that limit is. I just want to bounce off my impression of what’s happened here. Had the travel been first class I suspect we probably would have used that $50,000 and I believe the rules would allow first class travel here. So I’m seeing quite a good effort on behalf of all those travelling, to minimize the impact on the public purse and reduce those costs by 50 percent, perhaps more. So I just want to acknowledge that and encourage that whenever...

Better and better.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is one I am happy to see happening. I am wondering will there be savings as a result of this purchase in fuel cost and do we know what those would be.

I’ll assume that when the Premier does review the Hansard, he will have my list of suggestions for him and his colleagues in Cabinet to look at. Can the Premier also state his view on whether or not we should establish a registration for lobbyists to declare their various interests for the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier and they follow up on the issue of contracts let at the ministerial level to prior Ministers and high-level government officials.

Recent revelations on the practices of sole-source contracting point out an absence of definition in contracting and verification of deliverables, poor or meaningless justifications for granting contracts on a sole-sourced basis, a lack of consideration or ignorance of possible conflicting interests of contractors, very slow disclosure of contracting activity, weakness of restrictions on acceptance of contracts...

I appreciate those comments from the Minister. I’m glad to hear he’s out there and becoming aware of this issue. That’s certainly the place to start. In fact, the Territorial Farmers’ Association have indicated to us that better communication with the Minister and the department would help them build on the opportunities that may be out there.

The Minister has indicated that he could approach land claim governments that are negotiating land claims through the interim land agreements that are in place right now. And that’s what we’re all about here today, Mr. Speaker, is developing the political...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on the questions from my colleague Mrs. Groenewegen. Agriculture obviously presents many opportunities for good jobs that last for generations, are sustainable, provide local employment, they have lots of economic spinoffs in construction, transportation, the service industry and so on. The question of land remains as a big issue and apparently the only opportunity that’s readily available is municipal lands.

We met with the Territorial Farmers’ Association. They need to know what lands are available, what lands had been zoned agriculture and what...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Determined individuals and groups are working to build agriculture as a new sector in the NWT economy. Success has been variable but increasing overall. Egg production is well established in Hay River and the farmers at Paradise Gardens produce a wide range of vegetables, fruit and meat products for local markets. Many recall the days of yore when fields of grain crops grew in Fort Simpson. Gardens throughout the Mackenzie Valley supply communities and schools. The Cunninghams ran commercial gardens in Yellowknife and everyone, including trappers like my colleague’s...