Robert Bouchard

That’s it. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess I had one question on the mineral, oil and gas section. Is this where the new position would be for, I think we talked about a permafrost specialist in some of the preliminary discussions?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I’d like to recognize Shane Thompson, as well; a good friend, and his family. He’s also a constituent in Fort Simpson but he originates from Hay River.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that the committee defer further consideration for the activity summary of minerals and petroleum resources under the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment main estimates 2012-2013 on page 12-17 at this time.

I guess I continue to have some concerns in that area. I know we have requested that the department look at relocating that to a more northern location, a northern community where I personally feel that permafrost is a larger issue. I think it stems back to some of my comments earlier today about decentralization and positions. I understand that the department wants to look at a group issue, grouping some of these positions together, but as individual MLAs we have to fight some of these battles on a one-on-one position at a time. I just know the department has justifications as to why they...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess my concerns with ITI and some of the issues that are involved there are mostly issues that I have brought up in the House in the past while. We have been working through the business plan process and now I’m going to question that through the budget process of some of the activities that this department does for us trying to create and make sure that the economic development that is happening in the Northwest Territories is going to northern business. I have indicated concerns with the Business Incentive Policy, and that’s the implementation and how some of the...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Over the last few months, we’ve been able to review business plans and now we’re reviewing the current operating budget. Throughout the process, one of my main concerns has been that there’s been a large amount of positions in headquarters and in Yellowknife.

At the beginning of this Assembly we set out as a priority that getting jobs in the communities was one of our priorities. Little of that priority has been seen or placed in the past business plans and the current budget reflects very little of that.

I have heard all the excuses, such as: it will come with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement about dredging, we are concerned about the sediment buildup in the Hay River area.

My first question to the Minister of Transportation is: Does the territorial government and the Department of Transportation have any dredging programs planned for the Hay River area this year?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Spring is now over. The ice is gone from our rivers and now we’re starting to see more activity around the Hay River industry around the water.

Hay River is a natural transportation hub. It is the starting point for barges and tugs that go down the Mackenzie and supply goods throughout the Northwest Territories. The harbour is important to the commercial vessels, commercial fishing and recreation users. As well, we have a Coast Guard based there.

The federal government once dredged the harbour clear of silt that comes down the Hay River. In 1994 the federal government...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My colleagues have made a good point on both sides of this argument. My thoughts are similar to theirs. The high energy costs in the Northwest Territories are going up. Some of the projects that have been invested in have not worked. We have wasted some dollars on some of these projects. My other concern is that I’m not really willing to give up either.

Right now there must be some potentials out there. I know from discussions with some of my colleagues, that biomass is one of the highest returns dollar for dollar. Your return on your cost of living would go down quite a...