Bob McLeod

I would be pleased to visit the community with the Member and certainly anything we can do to help to facilitate, we will try to do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are looking at ways to try to improve some of the existing infrastructure that’s there so that the Mactung can use or perhaps see fit to use the road and airport that is there now. I think in order to do that, we need to find a way to upgrade what’s being used as an airport. Right now it’s just the CANOL Road that was built 40 years ago and they’re using that to land on and the road that’s being used was built in 1945. So we’re very prepared to work with the Sahtu people, because we think there are some economic opportunities there and we think if we improve the airport and the road even a...

We would have some funding to do some planning work. I think that once we get closer to something concrete, we would have to identify funds through our capital plans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Kristin Chapman, Youth Bowling National Champion, and her parents, Blair and Yolande Chapman.

Also I’d like to recognize Jenny Bruce and Carol Beck, both board members of Northwest Territories Tourism Association, and Jerry Lapierre, executive director, Northwest Territories Tourism Association.

And Andy Hutchinson, executive director, Northern Frontier Visitors Association.

Finally, I’d like to recognize Wilma Degrew, my new constituency assistant.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Mr. Speaker, this is Tourism Week in Canada. It is a chance for us to highlight the tremendous importance of this sector to our national and local economies, and to our lives as Canadians. More than any other sector in the Northwest Territories, tourism offers spin-off benefits and the potential to establish and grow viable and sustainable ventures in every one of our 33 communities.

Last season, tourism contributed over $137.9 million to the Northwest Territories economy; not just to individual owners and operators, but to service suppliers in accommodations, transportation, the food and...

I’d be pleased to share the results of our summer student hiring with all of the Members in this Assembly. We have, in the past, looked at reducing summer student wages so that we could hire more summer students and we have looked at maybe using the minimum wage for summer students. Certainly, we know that we are not the only employer in the Northwest Territories; there are other employers that we feel should do their share of hiring summer students. We also have programs that will allow...where we contribute to the private sector hiring summer students and also boards and agencies. Certainly...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, summer students that are interested in looking for a job with the Government of the Northwest Territories can register on the summer student database and have their names registered. Departments identify summer student jobs and the relevant experiences and skills required, and all departments have delegated staffing authority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kristin has made the Northwest Territories proud with both her wonderful achievement and her great sportsmanship. Congratulations, Kristin.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in the House to recognize the achievement of one of my young constituents of Yellowknife South, Kristin Chapman.

---Applause

Kristin recently travelled with her fellow NWT representatives to the Youth Bowling Canada National Championships in Toronto from May 2nd to the 4th. Kristen brought home the Gold Medal as the Bantam Girls 5-pin Singles National Champion.

---Applause

During the three-day event, Kristin bowled a total of 20 games, which works out to two games each against the 10 other provincial and territorial champions. She compiled a record of 14 wins and six...