Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Chair. ITI’s contribution to the Chamber of Mines is a decision that’s made yearly and it’s one that provides funding to assist with ITI in implementing the Mineral Development Strategy. We see it as funding as not an operating subsidy. It’s not used for salaries or for rent. Funding is tailored on a yearly basis and is largely a partnership with the chamber to deliver on promotional efforts in support of marketing the Northwest Territories to the resource industry and help promote the Northwest Territories as an attractive and high potential destination for investment dollars...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess the Sahtu Secretariat and the people in the Sahtu have been waiting a long time for the land for the Canol Trail tourism project to be made available to them so that they can start promoting it. Until it’s cleaned up, that’s still the responsibility of the federal government. Our understanding is that additional funding will be provided this year, and quite a significant number, but we couldn’t include it because the arrangements have not been concluded. We only put it on the books once we have a signed-off agreement. Until that happens, it would be inappropriate...

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in its mandate to develop and implement an agriculture strategy to increase domestic food production, improve distribution networks for NWT-produced foods, and to increase producer and supplier opportunities. The price of food is a significant driver of the Northwest Territories’ high cost of living in all of our communities, Mr. Speaker. Equally important in supporting and growing our vibrant communities is diversity in localized economies. Mr. Speaker, the need for an agricultural strategy to advance economic...

2014-15. It is pretty up to date. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess I should clarify. MLA Vanthuyne said it would be indefinitely; I wouldn’t go as far to say it will be indefinitely, it will go until 2018-19. The convention bureau works with regions and communities to determine their capacity, what capacity they have to host conventions, and we try to match up whatever interests there are for conventions in the Northwest Territories so that other communities besides Yellowknife also have opportunities and other regions also have the potential to host conventions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

That’s correct, Mr. Chair, as long as there’s funding available in those pots. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My recollection of an IRMA is that it was a cost-shared program between the Government of Canada and the Government of Northwest Territories on a two-third/one-third basis, and it was application based and funding was provided directly to the Aboriginal government that applied for the money. This is different than the fact that it’s working between industry and the Aboriginal communities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we’re planning to look at it. There is a public member at large on the board, and there is a public call for proposals, but all of those things will be looked at as we go forward in reviewing the different oil and gas legislation that we talked about earlier. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Consistent with other contribution arrangements, they have to meet the financial requirements of this government and report back on that basis. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chair, seven headquarters positions, two South Slave positions, two Inuvik positions:

one administrative assistant, vacant;

one manager petroleum royalty administration, filled;

one manager industrial initiatives, filled;

one industrial initiatives analyst, vacant;

two mining recorder clerks, filled;

two district geologists, one vacant;

one transfer of a mineral DS position to MPR, vacant;

two South Slave positions for Mackenzie Valley pipeline petroleum office, filled;

two transfer of marketing promotions to MPR from corporate management, filled;

two Inuvik positions;

one oil and gas offshore...