David Ramsay

Mr. Speaker, the answer to that is yes. We have done a lot of work. Last summer, I think the number of the harvest generated about $650,000 locally, so that’s a big number. We want to see that number increase. The Member is correct; with the number of forest fires last summer we do expect a bumper crop of mushrooms next summer. We are moving forward with plans to get into communities over the winter. We don’t want to wait until the spring. We’re developing pocket booklets. They’re like a how-to booklet informing people about morel mushrooms, where to find them, what they look like, maps of the...

Mr. Speaker, we do take recommendations that coroners provide us seriously. We do work with other departments. The Member is correct; the prevalence of alcohol and drugs as they relate to sudden deaths here in the Northwest Territories is certainly something that we need to pay attention to. Seven out of the eight suicides last year were alcohol related. So it’s very important that we continue to work with the Department of Health and Social Services on addressing those root causes of alcohol and drug abuse across the territory. Thank you.

Across Canada, similar to the Northwest Territories, coroners’ recommendations are not binding, and we don’t believe they should, in fact, be binding. Making recommendations binding would change the fundamental role of the coroner as we know it. They would have to consider the binding nature of their recommendations before putting them forward. They may limit the kind of recommendations they can make. It would also require them to be very specific so that their recommendations can be followed.

Again, we do work with other departments. As far as a report that is put forward, I don’t believe...

Yes, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Northwest Territories Coroner Service 2013 Annual Report.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, we are looking at the market, both here domestically in the Northwest Territories and the export market. We have a marketing subsidy that we have supplied to fisher people here in the Northwest Territories and it is certainly something that we will continue to explore with the events in Alberta. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We really believe strongly that we can reinvigorate the fishing industry on Great Slave Lake. Through the Economic Opportunities Strategy we have identified $1.5 million to look at an export grade fish plant, a new fish plant in Hay River and something that we continue to move forward with, although $1.5 million won’t get us to where we need to go. We are going to need partners. We are currently in discussions with some potential partners on seeing that new fish plant built in Hay River. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, that is part of the role and the function of the Convention Bureau, is to identify lodges or places that could host meetings and conventions, and I would give the Sandy Creek Lodge a ringing endorsement. I know we’ve had meetings there ourselves and it certainly is a very nice facility and a facility that could host a meeting of a substantial size on the Hay River Reserve. It’s something I am sure the Convention Bureau is aware of, but if they are not aware of it yet, they will be after today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This was part of our Economic Opportunities Strategy. Stemming from that, it’s an office that is set up in the Northwest Territories Tourism Marketing Destination Market Agency here in the Northwest Territories. Its goal and purpose is to attract people and meetings to the Northwest Territories, and I understand they have had some early success in trying to attract meetings and conventions here to the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to thank the Member for his comments and just a brief comment back if I could. Some of the best trappers in the Northwest Territories come from the Member’s region, and Colville Lake is a highly regarded trapping area in the Northwest Territories, so we’re happy to continue to support trapping in the Member’s riding and in the territory. When we design programs, we do go in and do an analysis of what it is and what things cost and how we can best help trappers get out on the land pursuing their trade. I don’t have that information with me right now, but I’d...