Bob McLeod

CHAP funding is only one of many programs that we have in place to assist harvesters. A large part of the funding that harvesters receive is based on their activity and how successful they are in harvesting and trapping. With regard specifically to the CHAP program, the budget for 2010-2011 has been set and the budget has remained the same. I should also point out that through the Growing Forward Agreement that we have with the federal government, we’ve also negotiated provisions in there to assist harvesters as well. On an overall basis, the amount of funding available for support to the...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled 2009 Public Service Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We do have an existing program, the Sport Outfitter Marketing Program. We do also have other business programs. The majority of those programs are based on viability, so it would be something that probably wouldn’t occur unless they develop alternative tourism products that could be marketed. Depending on our government’s fiscal situation on a go-forward basis, we will continue to try to expand this program. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member has already referenced the Tourism Diversification Marketing Program and I guess for some time we’ve realized that the trends with regard to tourism have been changing and the demand for consumptive tourism has been moving more into the areas of ecotourism and adventure tourism. We developed a marketing program that we spent about $5 million over the past four years so that existing operators can develop new products and look at other opportunities. We have met with the barren-ground outfitters and they said that basically they couldn’t really use that...

We have 33 communities in the Northwest Territories. Some regions have land claims while others don’t. Some communities have committees that have been negotiated through the land claim and they have responsibility for wildlife harvesting. Other communities that don’t have those arrangements, we recognize those that apply and it’s based on the number of harvesters, the number of general hunting licence holders. They have to apply to our department and if we recognize them, then we fund them on that basis. For those communities that have no harvesting association or they can’t reach agreement on...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supporting the traditional economy in the Northwest Territories is a very important priority for our government. As a government we spend approximately $2.25 million to support harvesters. Specifically for Community Harvester Assistance programming we have $593,000.

Mr. Speaker, we all want to make a better land and resource management regime for the people of the Northwest Territories. This is one of the reasons we support devolution efforts. This motion runs counter to the intent of the draft agreement-in-principle which proposes a Government of the Northwest Territories to aboriginal government relationship that contemplates a political forum related to resource management and its regulatory regime in the Northwest Territories that respects all governments’ authorities. It would be disingenuous of this government and the Assembly to launch out on a...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents entitled 2009-2010 Results Report, Grant and Contributions Programs; and Growing Forward, Report on Contributions 2009-2010. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize the following constituents from Yellowknife south: Anne-Elizabeth Fauvel, Annie Strus, Charlotte Curtis, Chris Strus, Lois Burns, Pat Strus, Peter Taptoona, Tammy Krivda, Keeton Hardisty and Samantha Bohnet. Welcome to the gallery.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories tourism industry has great potential to help us realize the 16th Legislative Assembly’s goals of creating a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and choices.

With the right idea, proper support and an ample amount of elbow grease, tourism businesses can be successful in every one of our 33 communities.

To support the growth of this important industry, Tourism 2010 was approved five years ago. The plan has served us well and we must now look at how we will build on tourism opportunities in the next five years and...