Statements in Debates
Thanks, Mr. Chairman. If the Member could just restate his question, I missed the first part of it.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The remaining $400,000 would be for medium- and long-term energy options for Inuvik at $100,000, a water monitoring program in Kakisa for $50,000, and the Whati T-line completion of regulatory application for $250,000.
Madam Chair, I really do appreciate the Member’s comments. I know I mentioned yesterday that, with the Great Slave Lake fishery, that is something that over the next two and a half years I think we need to put some real push behind. I have had meetings with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. We need to be working together with the industry, both in Hay River and here in Yellowknife. I really think we can make some progress here. It is a resource that is right here. It’s at our doorstep.
I know Mr. Bromley has been here for a number of years. We used to be taking a lot more fish out of...
It’s incorporated in the work that we’ve given to NTEC. That discussion on the power system here in the Northwest Territories, that dialogue continues through MECC. We’ve just recently met with officials from the Power Corporation. That discussion and dialogue continues. The planning continues and, yes, it is contained in the budget through NTEC.
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. That would be as a result of a one-time exit of interest earned through the NWT Opportunities Fund, but for a more detailed response, we can go to the deputy minister.
That’s exactly what this exercise is about, is to hear those views and get people involved. We are going to get diverging views on this, but this is part of the process and I think we just have to let it play itself out, get out, talk to the stakeholders, talk to the public and see where we go from there. The fact of the matter remains that the Northwest Territories is very well-endowed when it comes to straight-up resource potential, whether it’s minerals or oil and gas, and it’s all in how we manage those resources. Having this Mineral Development Strategy is part of getting us where we need...
Thank you, Madam Chair. To my left is Mr. Peter Vician, deputy minister of ITI, and to my right is Ms. Nancy Magrum, director of shared services, finance and administration for ITI and Environment and Natural Resources. Thank you.