David Ramsay

We’d be more than happy once this gets complete, hopefully sometime this spring, and that we’ll get it to the Executive Council and share it with Members. I think it’s going to be very, very telling. Some of the preliminary numbers I’ve seen – and I know the Member was there at the readiness session and when we met with the chamber of commerce and business leaders in the Sahtu after that session – if you had 10 wells there what it would translate into straight up economic opportunity and it’s tremendous what would happen there.

What has to happen is the development has to be done in a...

Thank you. I’m sure our staff have talked to the staff at ECE and that dialogue will have to continue. I think getting the message into schools around the Northwest Territories is very important, and we will continue to work with ECE to make sure that any programs that we do have, any educational component reaches out to schools and young people across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The issue that Mr. Dolynny brings up is a good one. I think it’s a discussion that all Members probably should have. From my perspective, we stand up as Ministers and if a department’s falling down in an area or has questions in an area, we answer that on the floor of the House or through the business plans. That has been the process. It’s been political, questions asked, issues addressed through the department and that goes down through the corporate management of the department to whatever manager or director is responsible for a certain area. If we want to delve a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, getting back to the head injuries, DOT does not regulate the use of helmets for uses like with snowmobiles, bicycles, skateboards or ice skates, in-line skates or skis. That is left up to the municipalities to deal with and that’s how that’s completed.

On a going-forward basis, DOT has initiatives under the Healthy Choices Framework. I know the Member talked of the Use Your Head Campaign that was used last year with a commercial with an Aboriginal elder wearing a helmet, a public awareness campaign. We also help with giving out funding to communities outside of...

There wasn’t a competition, no. The stipulation for interest earned through the NWT Opportunities Fund was to be earmarked for economic opportunities and pursuits in the territory. We are currently putting together a proposal through FMB to look at what we do with the remaining balance that’s there. As soon as we get that proposal complete, we’d certainly look at taking it to FMB and Members will also get to see that proposal.

It was a payment when the government decided to roll up the NWT Opportunities Fund. That loan came back and the interest that accrued on it was in the account. So, yes, the answer would be yes.

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.

I think I remember hearing somebody else say the exact same thing that Mr. Bromley mentioned, a certain MP from around here.

Getting back to Mr. Bromley’s point, we have to use the devolution process. I think once devolution is upon us – the jurisdiction’s currently with the federal government – this Legislature, at some point in time, is going to be able to make decisions like the ones that Mr. Bromley talks about.

When it comes to the Mineral Development Strategy, I think it’s very important to realize that currently, when a deposit is discovered and it’s deemed economically viable to pursue...