Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in this Assembly we came together as Members to establish our vision, goals, and priorities. Members agreed we would not simply work for the status quo. Rather we would work collaboratively to achieve real progress for the Territory. Since then our government has used the vision and goals and priorities of the 16th Assembly to formulate our plans and actions.

Unlike the typical stovepipe approach to the way we worked in the past, Strategic Initiatives Committees have been formed to direct investments into the priority areas identified by Members. These committees...

Mr. Speaker, as Minister Lee has pointed out, the work that has been done, the principle and the intent of the program, the input of Members of the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, as Minister Lee has pointed out, as convention we will be voting on that, but for the record as well, when the talk and when the e-mails went around on this issue and as the gaps were identified, I made a call to Mr. Abernethy and Ms. Bisaro about the program and what was needed, got some advice from them as to what…(inaudible)…or looking at delays, so seeing the work that’s been done, we look forward to working...

There is ongoing work around our subsidy programs that deals with families in need across the Territories. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment has an ongoing review of their program and the cost of living in our communities and look at making adjustments throughout the year. As for the commercial subsidy issue of when that timing will come forward, as I stated, I’ll have the Minister of FMBS and Finance come up with a response and provide that to committee. There is ongoing work on our subsidy programs that we have in place that helps offset the cost of living today in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The motion that was passed by the Assembly was looked at. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment along with the FMB reviewed the numbers and looked at that and looked at what options were available throughout our existing structure that we have in place, for example, our Income Support Program, and that was the avenue that was chosen to do any work that would cover off the basics for those who need most. As well, we tried to focus on other initiatives to bring the cost of living down in our smaller communities.

Mr. Speaker, one thing we have to realize is that this opportunity fund is not grant money. It is money that has to be paid back to the federal government, so due diligence on any proposal will have to be done. The Minister is working on a package. He will be coming forward with a package. Let’s be clear. In using this one company in talking about it, being it is from southern Canada, Denendeh Helicopters, Deh Cho Regional Helicopters, Sahtu Helicopters, Gwich’in Helicopters, Highland Helicopters, Tli Cho Helicopters, Colville Lake, Fort Good Hope, Wrigley, Deline, Tli Cho Air, Lutselk’e Air...

Mr. Speaker, the fact that there are quite a number of programs that are already being delivered by the Government of the Northwest Territories through a business development investment corporation that lends money to companies for $2 million and under. The Opportunities Fund that has been in existence for quite a number of years looked at $2 million and over. In fact, the Minister of ITI is looking and has, in fact, brought a paper forward to revise that policy. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of ITI is working around that policy development. We will be bringing it forward for review as they put some parameters around it. The discussion as the Member has raised, the area of the loan that has been discussed out there in the public now, in fact, has quite a number of partners and in fact quite a number of regions, groups and development corporations in the Northwest Territories that do provide corporate taxes to the Government of the Northwest Territories that employs quite a number of people that provide payroll tax and personal income tax to the revenues of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The area of the economic crisis the country has been caught in, we have been affected by a global economic climate and we have been involved for quite some time in trying to do our own stimulus. That is through advancement of the Building Canada Plan with the federal government as well as increasing our own contributions towards the capital side of it. I have had a number of regional meetings with regional aboriginal leadership on a number of factors. There has been ongoing work that we are doing through our budgeting process that would see still a substantial amount of...

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of ITI is working around that policy development. We will be bringing it forward for review as they put some parameters around it. The discussion as the Member has raised, the area of the loan that has been discussed out there in the public now, in fact, has quite a number of partners and in fact quite a number of regions, groups and development corporations in the Northwest Territories that do provide corporate taxes to the Government of the Northwest Territories that employs quite a number of people that provide payroll tax and personal income tax to the revenues of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The area of the economic crisis the country has been caught in, we have been affected by a global economic climate and we have been involved for quite some time in trying to do our own stimulus. That is through advancement of the Building Canada Plan with the federal government as well as increasing our own contributions towards the capital side of it. I have had a number of regional meetings with regional aboriginal leadership on a number of factors. There has been ongoing work that we are doing through our budgeting process that would see still a substantial amount of...