Brendan Bell

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is something that the Member and I and my department have been in some discussion about, not the specific position of a renewable resource economist, but more to the point of what we need to look at with renewable resources, work with communities to better understand where there are economic opportunities that are acceptable to the communities and economic opportunities that individual entrepreneurs would like to pursue. We do have business development people in the regions who can be actively engaged in this regard. It’s probably more appropriate than renewable...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Obviously with the passage of this supp, we will have the first start of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office and I am expecting a lot of strategic advice from the joint committee in this regard as to how this office can be most effective and what kinds of activities it should carry out. Some of these activities are not entirely pipeline related. They have implications for the pipeline and will be involved. For instance, the Department of Finance is looking for an extra position to help us get a handle on statistics and do some baseline studies as they relate to...

Thank you. I will certainly commit to continue with the programs we are currently providing in this regard. I think they are very important and very worthwhile. The member has indicated a couple and we’ve received a lot of response from other jurisdictions who really envy the fur pricing program and suggest that this is unprecedented support for that industry. I would also like to add that this government recognizes the need to diversify our economy and ensure that we aren’t solely reliant on mining, oil and gas development. There are a lot of tourism opportunities and a lot of renewable...

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to announce the members of the Waste Reduction and Recovery Advisory Committee. They are:

Mr. Greg Rowe of Hay River Liquor Retailers & Tri R Recycling;

Mr. Ron Courtoreille of the NWT Liquor Commission;

Ms. Stephanie Sibbeston from Fort Simpson;

Mr. Bob Weaver of Territorial Beverages Ltd.;

Mr. Kevin O'Reilly of the NWT Association of Communities;

Mr. Raymond W. Masse of the Inuvik Recycling Society;

Mr. Jack Walker of Peterson and Auger Ltd.;

Ms. Katherine Silcock of the City of Yellowknife; and,

Mr. Joe Agrey of the NWT Motor Transportation...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I assure the Member that I don't consider his questioning a running record. I understand that this is very important to his community. He has made that point abundantly clear to me and to the public, I believe. I also understand the urgency and understand the cultural implications here and the willingness to not be seen to be wasting any meat in the community. I appreciate that and respect that. Last night, after the discussion in the House, I asked the department to sit down and come up with a proposed solution to this. What we're prepared to do, Mr. Speaker, is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's difficult for me, without the Cabinet endorsement of said proposal, to theoretically discuss and indicate exactly what that will include. No doubt, it will include a range of options and a range of suggestions. We have had some discussion in the past about our legislation being as open as possible, as transparent as possible. I have no doubt that that discussion will take place again and we will have that committee. Certainly I will indicate to the Members on the other side of the House that I will take their recommendations in this regard very seriously. So...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I assure the Member we're not and I'm not potentially trying to withhold information from the Members. The Member is certainly right; within the life of the last assembly, at the end of the last assembly there was a legislative proposal and a bill drafted. There was insufficient time, unfortunately, for introduction and passage in the 14th Assembly. That does not mean that this discussion and this initiative about the need to better rationalize our resources in terms of how we deliver economic development programs and services is dead. We had the common ground...

Thank you. The Member will remember the $250,000 contribution that this government made at the end of the last assembly. It was for aurora recovery. That money was further levered through the Canadian Tourism Commission and amounted in what we believe is around $900,000 in investment spent both domestically and in Japan to try to reinvigorate the industry. We are hearing from the NWT Arctic Tourism Association and others that they believe this has been very successful. They are thankful for the support. Really the proof will be in the pudding with the upcoming season in terms of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Obviously this is a difficult situation, but I think it's going to eventually be a good-news story going forward for the industry. We know that aurora visitation numbers have declined drastically, after 9-11 and other geopolitical events: the war in Iraq, there was also SARS and a number of events I think Mr. Braden has alluded to. Things have been a little more difficult since then, obviously. I think things are starting to turn around. I'm hopeful; I'm optimistic. Obviously this company had a couple of choices to make while things were improving. I think they...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the next couple of weeks I will be before Cabinet and be making a presentation to Cabinet. Assuming endorsement of that presentation and assuming there aren't significant changes, I will very quickly then be able to come to committee. We will work with the Clerk's office to schedule something as soon as possible. I appreciate that summer is coming and it will be more and more difficult to get Members together, so I understand the urgency and will move quickly on this. Thank you.