David Ramsay

I will go back to the department and we’ll get a detailed response for the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have moved forward with working with the Healing Drum Society piloting a new program called Wek’eahkaa. We hope to see funding flow for that program in the amount of $292,000 in ’14-15. In addition to that, we also have $105,000 that goes to the YWCA here in Yellowknife.

The success of the first readiness session we had in Norman Wells and the community meetings that we’ve had this past year were very successful in letting folks know what was happening in the coming year. I’ve had discussions with the Member and with the department and we certainly will try to move forward with a readiness session sometime this year, and we will also get that information on the training initiative, as well, and continue to work with folks in the Sahtu to ensure that there’s adequate training for people that want to take that training.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d have to check with officials at the department and at ECE to find out the status of that work. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, mineral exploration and development is a cornerstone of the NWT economy. Ensuring the continuing health of this sector is critical if we want to grow our economy and achieve our vision of a strong, prosperous Northwest Territories. Last fall this government reached a major milestone when it released the NWT Mineral Development Strategy. This is a comprehensive plan to ensure the long-term growth of a sustainable mining industry that will create jobs and economic opportunities for the people of the NWT.

As Members of this Assembly are aware, this strategy was a partnership effort...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to take a second to recognize a few folks in the gallery today. Superintendent of YCS Ms. Claudia Parker and also assistant superintendent, Mr. John Bowden, a former teacher of mine at St. Patrick’s, welcome to the House today. I also wanted to recognize and wish good luck to Jamie Koe, Team NWT at the Brier that’s coming up at Kamloops. Good luck to Team NWT. I also wanted to wish good luck to Damon Crossman. I know he does a lot of great work at MACA with sport and rec. I know the team is on the way to Fairbanks in a few weeks. Good luck to Team NWT in...

When we first brought the Aboriginal Tourism Champions together, one of the first meetings was called Sharing Our Culture. What the Member is talking about is very important. It’s a discussion that I will commit to having with the Minister of ECE. I believe the museum is doing some work in that regard and we’ll certainly report back to the Member on what I find out from ECE. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department continues to support the advancement of arts and crafts across the Northwest Territories. We have a new program called the High Procurement Program where we can get out and get tanned hides and ensure that they get in the hands of artists and craft makers around the Northwest Territories. This is something that we feel is going to be very successful for artists and artisans across the territory to enable them to get to work with hides and fur products from across the Northwest Territories and incorporate those into their artwork. Thank you.

Thank you. It’s important that the Government of the Northwest Territories has the ability to direct where we want to go with the industry here in the Northwest Territories. On the policy side of things, it’s going to be our government that directs the policy direction. It’s going to be in the best interests of the Northwest Territories when our government is in control of the regulation on oil and gas activity here in the Northwest Territories.

The last time I checked, we do not have oil sands located in the Northwest Territories. I’m not sure what the Member is trying to get at, but let me be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in the House yesterday, our hope is to get in front of standing committee with our plans moving forward on regulating oil and gas activity here in the Northwest Territories. Our plan is to have as seamless a transition as possible. We’ve got service agreements set up. We want to ensure that we are protecting the environment and, at the same time, growing the economy here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.