David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Economic Opportunities Strategy focuses on growing the economy here in the Northwest Territories. At the same time, we have a parallel process with the Anti-Poverty Strategy that the government has initiated as well.

Our belief is that we can find a way forward with the economy and focus on economic opportunities in the various regions around the Northwest Territories, and that’s what this strategy is set up to do. Thank you.

I just want to let the Member know, and other Members know, that we haven’t signed off on the royalty rate, we haven’t signed off on land tenure. Those are discussions that continue to be ongoing with the Inuvialuit, and we hope to conclude those discussions and negotiations with them very soon.

We haven’t got a formal funding agreement with the federal government in place yet. At the earliest opportunity – I just signed a letter late last week – we’re going to be in front of the Member’s Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure as soon as possible to give his committee a full briefing on the project and next steps.

Once the Member brings forward the details of the situation, I would certainly be more than happy to talk to whichever department the award would be awarded through and have a discussion about next steps.

I wouldn’t want to hazard a guess, not knowing the particulars in the situation the Member talks about, but if the Member would like to divulge – she doesn’t have to do it here today – the situation, if it is an NGO bidding against a registered BIP business here in the Northwest Territories then the NGO not getting BIP status, there’s a reason, and I mentioned the reason why, the NGO wouldn’t receive BIP status to compete with a registered BIP business here in the Northwest Territories. I’d like to, maybe, get the Member to provide us some further details and we can look into this situation.

I appreciate the Member’s concerns; however, I don’t share those concerns. I believe we can move forward with an Economic Opportunities Strategy that’s going to benefit every region across the Northwest Territories and find new ways for us to grow the economy, especially in the smaller communities, and that’s what we’re going to start out to do. Thank you.

We have a number of folks involved in the Economic Opportunities Strategy, including the Northern Aboriginal Business Association, the NWT Chamber of Commerce, the NWT Association of Communities. We have an expert panel that’s set up, as well as the department. We’re not setting out to conduct this Economic Opportunities Strategy without talking to people. We’ve been out to a number of communities already. We’re looking for feedback from residents around the Northwest Territories.

I know the Member mentioned big business in his opening statement. This isn’t all about big business, Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve started a program where we’re going to see capital dollars flow into Highway No. 7. It’s going to begin this year. I believe it’s just over $1 million and it’s going to continue for a period of years. I believe it’s 10 years.

Given the pressures on our capital budget – and I don’t have to mention to Members about the pressures on our capital budget around the Northwest Territories – I’ve made commitments to the Member to get a long-term program for Highway No. 7 and that’s what we’re doing. We are getting some money into that highway on an annual basis. I certainly...

Yes, we are looking at that. Again, given what’s happened here this winter with the weather and the traffic, I think we need to be looking at all of that. Certainly, from our perspective, safety of that road and the safety of the travelling public is the number one priority.

Mr. Speaker, this has been an issue that has been brought up before. It’s a serious issue and one that we take seriously. Certainly, I mentioned earlier that we want to work with Members through the Standing Committee on Economic Infrastructure if there is a need to go back and look at all the businesses that are in this Business Incentive Policy and look at areas where we can strengthen this policy.

I tend to agree with the Member; we need to ensure that economic benefits stay here in the Northwest Territories. I know he mentioned a couple of projects, the Inuvik-Tuk highway being one. We need...