David Ramsay

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, moved into Committee of the Whole for today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

It’s been a difficult task because of fuel prices and the price of fuel for fisherman to get out on the lake. Also, with the increase of the Canadian dollar against the American dollar, it’s had a big impact on what prices are paid for that fish. But, again, I’ll point out the fact that we do have a support to fishermen program here in the Northwest Territories. It’s $225,000. There’s a Fish Harvesters Support Program, a Commercial Fish Harvesters Support Program, Fish Harvesters Expansion Program, a Fish Harvesters New Entrance Support Program, and also some core funding that we’ve also...

On an annual basis, we have a program that supports fishers here in the NWT. It amounts to about $225,000 a year, broken down into a number of program initiatives. But this summer I appeared before a parliamentary committee on fisheries, and basically spelled out to them the importance of the fishery on Great Slave Lake here in the Northwest Territories. I gave them some historical perspective on the fishery, where we wanted to see it go and how important it was for us to reinvigorate the fishery on Great Slave Lake.

Through the work of the Economic Opportunities Strategy that we’ve just tabled...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to introduce the guests I have with me here. We’ve got Nancy Magrum to my left, director of shared services, finance and administration; and to my right is Mr. Thomas Druyan, legislative counsel. Thank you.

I am pleased to present Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act.

The reason for this amendment is to increase the Fur Marketing Service Revolving Fund from $900,000 to $1.5 million.

The Government of the Northwest Territories supports the fur industry in the Northwest Territories through this fund and the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Price Program.

It often takes a month to six weeks for the fur to be sold at auction after trappers deliver furs to the GNWT under the program. The advance payments made to the trappers from the fund allow them to continue trapping in the interim period.

Due...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, be read for the second time.

This bill amends the Revolving Funds Act to increase the Fur Marketing Service Revolving Fund.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to update the House on the progress being made to advance the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project. This winter we plan to begin constructing the final link between the NWT highway system and the Arctic Coast community of Tuktoyaktuk. This all-weather highway will be constructed in one of Canada’s most challenging environments.

The Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway is a legacy project of this government that will help reduce the high cost of living in our most northerly region and will assist in opening up new economic development and tourism opportunities for residents...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. I do know folks that have been issued a ticket for not paying the toll aren’t too happy with the $1,700 ticket they do receive. We have been collecting revenue. It’s an effort to pay for the infrastructure we have in place across the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence. I can get the detailed information on the collection of tolls, what we’ve collected to date and what the projections are for the Member, the standing committee and Members of this House. I don’t have that detailed information with me today. Thank you.