Wally Schumann

As I have said, we want to identify a model that meets the needs of the visitors over the long term, for the residents of Yellowknife and the tourism sector that comes to the Northwest Territories. We are open to all ideas and considerations moving forward, and we will look at anything that is proposed to us.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As this House is well aware, the Northern Frontier Visitors' Centre had to be shut down due to structural issues with their building. We have met with them, along with the City of Yellowknife, to have discussions. A short-term fix to this situation, agreed upon by all parties, is to move into the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, which is going to be taking place today and tomorrow. The visitors' centre will be open on June 1st of this month. That is a short-term solution. Moving forward in the long term, we will be sitting down with the City of Yellowknife and...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 26, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, No. 2, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Revolving Funds Act to establish a revolving fund for the purpose of meeting the capital, operating, and maintenance requirements for providing marine transportation services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member has pointed out, yes, the Northern Frontier Visitors' Centre is responsible for the lease. When they signed that lease a number of years ago, that was with a totally different government, the federal government. Now that we have taken over through devolution, it is in the realm of what we look after. The Department of Lands is responsible for this lease now moving forward. The Department of ITI and Department of Lands, and hopefully the Northern Frontier Visitors' Centre, will sit down together and figure out a best way forward of how we are going to help...

The intent is to definitely keep the visitors' centre in operation going forward. This is a file that involves not just the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and the Northern Frontier Visitors' Centre; it also involves the City of Yellowknife, who plays a big part and who is the biggest beneficiary of the centre. As I have said, we were going to sit down and work with them. Hopefully, the Northern Frontier Visitors' Centre can work with us and identify a delivery model that meets the needs of visitors over the long term for the City of Yellowknife and residents of the Northwest...

Mr. Speaker, as residents considering their future, our economy is top of mind. As both a promoter and contributor to the NWT economy, our government is working to spark economic growth across all sectors and to foster an environment in which companies and individuals feel confident investing in northern opportunities and jobs. Our agenda for economic development is threefold: we are working to responsibly unlock the potential of our non-renewable resources in a way that will both power and sustain the economic future of our territory and its communities; we are supporting companies and...

I will have to check with the department to see where we are with a number of these things. Like I said, with the painting and the repairs and stuff going on and the site preparation, I cannot commit to this House if it is going to be ready or not for graduation this weekend. We will see what the department comes back with about how things are going on the ground.

No, I will not commit to do a comprehensive review across the Northwest Territories. As I have told the Member before in this House, I have been part of both sides of this equation, and I believe that the process in place is a fair and equitable one for all businesses in the Northwest Territories. Yes, maybe we have to tweak a few things to make everything better. It does not matter if it is from health care to education to procurement, but I am willing to sit down and have those conversations. However at this point, I am not willing to do a territorial-wide review.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As of the latest information I had, we are still going through some refit stuff. There is actually some painting going on both of the ferries in the Member's riding. There is ongoing work and also site preparation to launch the ferries. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

No, I will not go to a constituency meeting with the Member. We just did a tour with a number of MLAs and deputy ministers of his riding, particularly around manufacturers in the NWT. We have a public process to participate in procurement process in the Northwest Territories. We can allow input to there. People can write letters to me, as I've said, or contact me. As I've said in this House before, I believe the last time I spoke, I did not have one complaint around procurement in the Northwest Territories and, since the last session, I maybe had one or two complaints about procurement in the...