David Ramsay

Mr. Speaker, I don’t have that level of detail with me today, but I believe that was an issue that came up during the last sitting. I believe it was Mr. Bromley that brought that up as a performance indicator, how much local fish and meat products we are using in the Northwest Territories. If the Member likes, I can provide him with that information. Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Earlier I spoke of the close to $1 million that goes out between ITI and ECE in support of artists around the Northwest Territories. We do support festivals. We support our artists. I also should mention BDIC and Northern Canada Trading. I think that’s a component of the BDIC that I believe currently is underutilized and something I’d like to see have more far-reaching impact. I think we as a government should take more of an active role in promoting our own artists and getting goods produced locally here in the Northwest Territories, into a storefront somewhere to be sold to the travelling...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. NWT artisans and filmmakers make a positive economic and cultural impact on our territory and today I would like to highlight some initiatives to support and grow the arts, crafts and film sectors.

Through the office of the film commissioner, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has been working closely with the NWT film industry over the past year. Last year the GNWT met with film and media arts representatives for a review of the territorial film industry. They identified the need for a fully interactive and information rich website to promote filming and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Agriculture Products Marketing Council 2011-12 Annual Report.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Business Incentive Policy is a policy of the Government of the Northwest Territories. If Members of this House want to revisit the Business Incentive Policy, is there a loophole here that allowed a southern company to get a contract in Inuvik? If that is the case, then if Members of this House want to have another look at the Business Incentive Policy, it is under the purview of this Assembly to do that.

I understand the Member’s concerns. I want to let him know and other Members know that we are willing to work with Members to try to shore up the policy so that situations like...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for that question. I’m glad to have an opportunity to talk about the Business Incentive Policy. That is a policy of the GNWT. We certainly have that under our mandate of ITI, but when it comes to evaluating RFPs, it is left up to each department to oversee the implementation of the Business Incentive Policy. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Fishermen’s Federation is still involved with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. They voted back in December of 2010 to remain a part of that organization. That organization is in fact going through a bit of turmoil. Just recently both Saskatchewan and northern Ontario have pulled out of FFMC and 90 percent of the total fish being run through FFMC now comes from Manitoba. There have also been some issues with the governance of the FFMC. So that’s where currently the NWT Fishermen’s Federation is marketing their fish.

As to the future here in the Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We currently have a funding program to assist commercial fishermen in the Northwest Territories at $225,000 a year. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, that is something that we could look at doing. Thank you.