Bob McLeod

We’ll ensure that we do that. I think we have existing programs through our Aftercare Program.

We did consult with committee and the direction we had was to focus on the small communities and there was no indication at that time that we should be giving all of our money to established businesses. In our view, we are providing funds to the people that we were asked to focus on, which was in the smaller communities, the smaller businesses. In 2008-2009 the SEED program expenditures totalled $1.8 million and the funds grew to $2.9 million which was distributed to 437 approved applicants. Of this, 48 percent went directly to entrepreneurs including business corporation proprietors and other...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As part of our energy priority investments, our alternative energy priority investments, we’ve identified biomass as probably one of the biggest and most important parts of this initiative and this is something that we’ve identified significant investments over the three years of the $5 million and we’re working and participating with the Department of ENR on the development of a draft Biomass Strategy. We are also participating in the Biomass Working Group. For your information, or you may already be aware, this group includes representation from the Government of the...

Generally we would only look at those businesses that we are involved with either though BDIC or through the officers that we have working in the different regions or community transfer economic development officers. Essentially that’s how it would come about.

As the Member knows, we have a variety of delivery agents. We have community transfer EDO positions, we have ITI economic development officer positions, and we have a protocol agreement between BDIC and ITI as to how we can function and deliver programs. We also have Community Futures boards in every region that deliver programs and services. We work closely with BDIC, who allocates lending limits or allocates lending privileges to the different regions with regard to the loans that are delivered by BDIC. With all these different arrangements we’re able to deliver all the programs of the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In Lutselk’e we’re making very good progress and to the extent that we’re investing more money and we’re fast tracking the project, and with regard to the three-year expenditures from ‘09-10 to ‘11-12 we’ll have invested $4 million. So we’re making good progress there.

In Whati we still have to sort out some issues with the Tlicho Government and with the change in leadership. We’re requesting meetings so that we can clarify the direction that the Tlicho Government wants to go to, but we have expended about $250,000. We’re looking at spending about $1.5 million in Whati, Mr...

I appreciate those comments. We are reviewing the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Once we get the report and I’ve had a chance to examine the recommendations, I’m sure that we will be looking at some of the issues the Member brought up.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I really believe you are talking to the converted. We call it local food production. We’ve heard this from committee, standing committee, a number of times. We need to do more to develop and expand local food production, so I think you’d be pleased to know we are trying to do more in the area of agriculture. We are going to focus on design, development of small vegetable garden plots, working with community organizations, also fisheries. We want to promote northern fish here in the Northwest Territories. So we’ve identified $250,000 to promote the territorial farming...

No, that’s not something that we’ve looked at. We’ve concentrated more on having outtakes on the pipeline that we could use for community gasification or community gas conversion projects. Also, at one time, we did look at having the compressor stations generated by hydro power, but that was a recommendation that was made by Deline and so… But specifically using residual or waste heat from compressor stations, there will be three compressor stations, from what I understand, in place for the pipeline. So depending on how close it is to the community will probably make the difference whether it...

If I could get the detailed information from the Member with regard to the actual bill we can endeavour to respond to the couple and to provide full answers to the questions once we have the bill in our hands.