David Ramsay

Thank you, Madam Chair. We’ve heard many discussions in the House in regard to the traditional economy. We’ve got the Take a Kid Trapping Program. We’ve got the Western Harvesters Assistance Program. We have increased the trappers’ grubstake as well. In fact, we’ve doubled the funding available to trappers across the Northwest Territories. We continue to make great strides in the traditional economy in that area. We’ve got some great staff in the department. Our furs are recognized around the globe and we continue to make progress. Perhaps for some further detail I will go to Deputy Minister...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I thank the Member for his comments. They’re spot on. That’s exactly what we’re trying to achieve here. We’ve got the Hydro Strategy rolled up with the Energy Plan. We have to get those alternatives. We have to get that investment back. It’s through the planning that we’re going to get there. Like Mr. Bromley, I thank Mr. Dolynny for bringing these issues up. We will get there. I know it might seem like a long way away, but we are working toward these solutions and we will continue to work toward the solutions through the planning.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We have been very flexible on how they use the funding and we will continue to be as flexible as we can be in working with them. We want to see an industry back there eventually. If there are some prospects with the Bluenose-East and those opportunities present themselves, we should be flexible. We should be working with the outfitters to see some business come back. The dialogue just has to continue. I mentioned earlier to MLA Bisaro that we could look at a joint meeting with ITI, ENR and the outfitters. We need to chart a course forward. We have to put everything on...

Thank you, Madam Chair, and I thank the Member for his comments. I certainly appreciate his take on things, but we are making progress. I’m convinced we are making some progress here. We’re getting close to the end of negotiations on devolution.

We continue to talk to industry at every opportunity about power from Taltson. We need transmission, we need a very sizeable investment in the transmission lines. I know there’s been a lot of talk about the interconnect on the grid north and south, and I believe that can happen with that type of investment and it should happen. I think that’s something...

Madam Chair, I’m certainly not a defeatist. I’m a real optimist, believe me. I always believe that we can get to where we need to go. But the fact of the matter remains. We put $1.8 million into supporting the outfitters. I will mention this, we also contributed $900,000 on this product diversification marketing, some of which accessed this funding to try to diversify their operations so they can get into different lines, not just caribou outfitting, but different lines of operations, whether it’s getting people out on environmental photo shoots or taking photos of wildlife. Some have looked...

Yes please, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair, the budget has gone down. There’s much debate about whether the program itself survived. My belief is that we are fortunate to have $300,000 in this year’s budget to continue the Sport Hunt Outfitter Marketing Program. We’ve done our best to keep it in this year’s budget. It’s at the level it is at and that’s the way it is, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, again, the Member raises a number of concerns and, again, it’s an independent board and I look forward to having them here to discuss issues with the Members.

We have to remember, in regard to the subsidiaries, they were set up, when they were set up to create employment in communities, provide economic opportunities and that’s what they’re set out to do. The subsidiaries are a big part of what the BDIC does. It provides economic activity in some of our smaller communities. So again, this is a discussion that the Member wants to have with the BDIC board and I think we should try...

Thanks, Madam Chair. It’s partially included in this year’s budget, but for the detail I’ll go to Deputy Minister Vician.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That plan is tabled in the House on an annual basis and I think it may be – the Member is asking a number of questions – very beneficial to get the board, the chairman in to meet with Regular Members. If Regular Members have concerns or questions about the operation, it would be a perfect opportunity to ask the board. They are an independent board. Certainly, they provide me with a corporate overview and I do meet with them to talk about their operations with subsidiaries. But, again, I think there could be a lot of utility in having the board come and meet with...