Brendan Bell

I have had several meetings with the company on this issue. I have had a phone conversation with Joe Carrabba who has now moved on. He has been replaced and I have met with his replacement as well to better understand why the company felt the need to do this. We had some discussion and I think the Member has rightly articulated the issues that the company was faced with: a very hot economy in Western Canada; having to compete with the oil sands for labour; having to compete with other projects; the startup of the diamond mine in Nunavut; the Tahera Mine and generally just a booming economy....

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize two out-of-town guests today sitting with Steve Meister and the mayor of Yellowknife, who were recognized earlier, the president of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, Ruth Kelly, and also director Guy Anderson who are here today for a number of meetings with the Yellowknife chamber. I believe Ms. Kelly also delivered today’s business club luncheon address. I’d like to welcome them to the Assembly. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, May 27, 2005, I will move that Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Judicature Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. It sounds like quite a pent up demand for our product. We have to make sure that we have a way to deliver. There is no sense in creating this demand and not being able to satisfy it and not having someone on the ground ready to make sure we can channel people to the Northwest Territories. I think this speaks to our overall presence. I am very interested in hearing about the Expo site. As the Member knows, I haven’t been. We did send a reconnaissance team, a couple of staff people, to see the pavilion. It wasn’t yet fully constructed. I would like to take advantage of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me first start by applauding the Member’s efforts to take the local company up on its offer to accompany them on a tour of Japan. I think it is important that we seek to better understand a number of different aspects of our tourism industry. I think this is certainly a good start. In terms of what we need to do going forward and how we look to develop the Aurora tourism industry, I met the other day with the new president of NWT Tourism. We have agreed that -- and this has been ongoing for some time now -- we are pretty close to being able to roll out a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, May 27, 2005, I will move that Bill 6, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2005, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, May 27, 2005, I will move that Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would certainly consider a range of options. I think the Member raises a very good point. After we sit down with committee, any initiatives moving forward would have to involve industry quite clearly. I think we recognize as a government that we can do more in terms of destination marketing. If our presence is very limited on the ground in Japan and we don’t have much of a profile, then we need to do something to address that very quickly. I would like Members’ thoughts. I would like committee’s thoughts on this, and also industry. So we do have to find a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Natural Resources Conservation Trust Fund 2003-2004 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Premier has already stated in this House, the Government of the Northwest Territories supports the Mackenzie gas project, and a pipeline built down the Mackenzie Valley to deliver NWT natural gas to continental energy markets. Our government is committed to ensuring that the Mackenzie gas project and other resource developments in the NWT are constructed and operated in a manner that recognizes our respect for and unique relationship with our land, water and wildlife resources.

Mr. Speaker, I believe we achieved a significant step in ensuring the...