David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Premier and Mr. Bell, for your responses. The next question I have is when will the government actually put its money where its mouth is and actually take a look at the funding it supplies to the tourism industry and increase that funding? It hasn’t happened for a number of years and if we are going to say we support the tourism industry here in the Northwest Territories, it’s time to put our money where our mouth is and look at some increased funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I’m wondering when that might happen. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Any other comments on schedule 2? Agreed?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I listened quite intently to the sessional statement the Premier gave a couple of days ago. There was something that wasn’t in that. I just wanted to question the Premier today about a glaring omission from that sessional statement, and that was the fact that it didn’t mention tourism.

My question isn’t related to the sessional statement itself, but I have a question for the Premier. I believe that is an affront to the tourism industry in the Northwest Territories. For a government that purports to support tourism, leaving that out was definitely a...

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a five-year lease, but it amounts to a 15-year lease, Mr. Speaker, because they have a five-year lease and two options for five additional years each, for a total of 15 years in a retail setting. I’m just wondering, Mr. Speaker, what the premium is that this government is going to pay. I know dollars are at a premium. What is that premium that we’re going to pay to put an office in a retail mall? There has to be a premium that we’re paying. It’s top dollar, it’s prime retail space, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to know what that is and is that going to cut into the...

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Yakeleya.

That order of business would be Bill 9, Write-off of Assets and Debts Act, 2004-2005. We are going to start with the Minister responsible, Mr. Roland.

Thank you. Thank you, Minister Roland and Mr. Voytilla. There is a motion on the floor to rise and report progress and it’s not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

I will rise and report progress.