David Ramsay

Mr. Speaker, later today I will be tabling the Northwest Territories Coroner Service 2013 Annual Report. This report sets out some information on the history of the coroner’s service, the role and structure of the office and some information on their work in 2013. This report reminds us that in the Northwest Territories, we have a number of dedicated volunteers who are deeply committed to assisting those in their communities at times of tragedy. They work with circumstances and situations that most of us are unable or unwilling to face.

Coroners play a vital role in our justice system. They...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to take a second to thank David Brock for his service to the House and to the residents of the Northwest Territories. He is a consummate professional. I wish him well in his future endeavours, and I am very happy to see a local woman become the new Chief Electoral Officer here in the Northwest Territories, a proud moment for our territory and a proud moment for Ms. Latour.

Mr. Speaker, our goal is to develop the commercial fishery on Great Slave Lake, and if we can’t do that within our borders with the fisher people that we have here in the Northwest Territories, certainly we have to look outside of our borders for other opportunities to attract fisher people to come to the Northwest Territories. That is really how the industry got started in the first place, was folks coming to Great Slave Lake and fishing Great Slave Lake that weren’t from the Northwest Territories, and that’s something that we currently are exploring. Thank you.

We have a number of programs through ITI that are going to help in attracting new fishers to the industry and, as well, helping those that are already in the industry. We have a Fish Harvesters Support Program, we have a Commercial Fish Harvesters Support Program, we have a Fish Harvesters Expansion Program, we have a Fish Harvesters New Entrants Support Program and also some core funding available to existing fishermen on Great Slave Lake. Thank you.

Again, through the EOS, we have identified some money for training, and in the case of Sandy Creek Lodge on the Hay River Reserve, I will go back to the department and see if we can get some staff to contact the reserve and the folks that are operating the lodge to see where it is we can best help them and we’ll try to get them the help that they need. Thank you.

Thank you. I know they are in discussion with a large national organization on hosting a conference here next year in the Northwest Territories. Because we have a dedicated person in that position, as well, they are familiarizing themselves with services and opportunities around the Northwest Territories. It isn’t just a Yellowknife Convention Bureau it is a Northwest Territories Convention Bureau and if something fits in a community, if a community can host a convention or a group of business leaders or a meeting, certainly those things will be looked at. We believe very highly that this...

I should also mention the support that ITI gets from ENR, as well, on this as we support trappers around the Northwest Territories.

As for the Member’s suggestion that we look at taking a couple of top trappers, maybe we could look at the top trapper having an award or… We can look at that. I think it is a good suggestion and something that, I think, if the trapper gets a chance to go to an auction and see how it all plays itself out from trapline to auction floor, I think that is a good experience for them to have and something that we will certainly consider. Thank you.

I just had a similar opportunity in the Deh Cho. I was down in Fort Simpson speaking to the Chamber of Commerce in Fort Simpson. Any opportunity I get to speak to business people, chamber of commerce across the Northwest Territories, whether it’s in Norman Wells or Hay River, Inuvik or Fort Simpson, I’ll be there. If there is a conference and my availably is there, I’ll be able to come and speak.

I still am very optimistic about the future in the central Mackenzie Valley and the Member’s riding about all the opportunity that is there, and I think some brighter days are ahead of us.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. To my right I have Ms. Kelly Kaylo, assistant deputy minister, economic development, with Industry, Tourism and Investment, and to my left I have Mr. Peter Vician, deputy minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

I think what the Member is getting to really highlights the work that went into the Economic Opportunities Strategy and the fact that as a government we have to diversify our economy, we have to have those business-type supports in all sectors of our economy. You’ll see through the EOS, we are looking at different aspects, agriculture, tourism, the fishing industry, just to name a few and that’s really… We have to be putting a focus on that because resource development in a lot of ways is cyclical, it is up and down, and we need to ensure that we have those supports in place for all sectors of...