David Ramsay

Yes, that includes $150,000 for the renewal of the NWT Energy Plan coming for the 17th Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a comment on the idea that the Member had in the area of mushrooms. If it is a bad fire year and there is an opportunity there to harvest mushrooms, that is a great business opportunity and could be a business opportunity for a number of communities around the Northwest Territories. If there are interested parties in those communities that want to come forward and apply for some of the funding that we have at ITI, we’d really like to see that happen. Back in 2011-2012 Arctic Morels Canada had gotten some funding from us. A small amount of funding, but I think...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Member’s perspective. When you look at the department, it’s varied what responsibilities we have. As Minister, it’s my job to try not to pay too much attention to one area and try to balance myself out and support all the efforts that the department has, whether it be in small business, tourism, the traditional economy, manufacturing and services or projects like the Mackenzie Gas Project, offshore developments.

These are going to be important to the Northwest Territories and the residents here in the Northwest Territories. Yes, market conditions will...

We’ve always been upfront with the funding, but I’m not sure if the Member was referencing something else previous to my tenure as Minister of ITI.

The goal of this government is to diversify the economy here in the Northwest Territories. Certainly we’re going to take every opportunity to do that. I’d be more than happy to work with Regular Members to look at commercial fishing here in the NWT to see what we can do. If we can do things differently and make a difference and grow that industry here in the Northwest Territories, that’s something I’m interested in. I know there’s a number of Members across the floor that are interested in doing that. We can put our best effort into that.

The reality is the fishermen remain in Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation and involved in that organization. As a government, the Government of the Northwest Territories has been supporting the commercial fishing industry in the Northwest Territories for well over 30 years. We provide money on an annual basis to operate and maintain an office in Hay River. We have a $225,000 support on an annual basis to help fishermen in the territory. In response to the decline in marketing initiatives and sales, we’ve also come up with $550,000 to help support local fish and meat processing in the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. It isn’t costing the Department of Transportation anything. That’s work performed on behalf of others. That is charged back to the air carriers. Perhaps the definition may have been a little bit confusing and we can work to get a better definition on what exactly that whole baggage system entails. It is work that’s done and paid for from air carriers using that service.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about the Department of Transportation’s efforts to adapt to climate change.

Wherever you look in the Northwest Territories, you will see impacts of climate change on the transportation system. The Dempster Highway is settling more as permafrost thaws. We are getting more freezing rain in the South Slave, so we need to put more sand and gravel on our highways. The opening of the Tlicho winter road has been delayed due to warmer weather. More flights have been cancelled in Inuvik due to frost buildup and the loss of friction on the runway. Airlines...

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right I have Mr. Russell Neudorf, deputy minister of Department of Transportation. To my left, Mr. Daniel Auger, assistant deputy minister of Department of Transportation.

The Northwest Territories Film Commission has drafted a mandate that is supported by both ITI and ECE and I’d be more than happy to share that mandate with the Member. Also, as we go forward, I agree with the Member, if a strategic framework or strategy is required that is something we will need to consider.