Wally Schumann

With SEED, I already have the authority to go over $15,000, so if something came forward and there was an initiative that I believe we can support, the Minister can sign off and go above the $15,000.

Just back to the Member's earlier question, though, about sectors, if you actually go into the grants and contributions, in there on page 12, it also breaks it out by activity. It has all the sectors, I believe, that he was trying to get to. It has agriculture, arts and crafts, business conferences, ecommerce, education. All these sorts of things are broken out by percentages and amount of money...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll try to respond to all five of them, I believe. As I've said, SEED, we're having a look at it. My concern was when I got the portfolios, are we making the best bang for our buck, and I will not commit to a review right at this point. I'm going to have a look at it for sure, and if there's a need for it we will definitely be having a look at that, but I'm paying close attention on how we're spending SEED for sure and getting value for our money.

The fishing industry, as you know, we're going to table our strategy moving forward. I think the amount of money that we...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just had to get it clarified because I know we're doing some stuff. Well, constantly we're always reviewing BIP, of course. BIP is a big part of giving people in the Northwest Territories, businesses that are up here, a kind of a head's up or leg up on southern people competing against us.

We're doing a review right now of all registrants of BIP; I think we're almost done most regions. We're still trying to finish off the North Slave, as it probably has the most number of registered BIP companies in the Northwest Territories. We're trying to make sure that the registered...

Yes, that is the exact rate that is sunsetting, but we are still going to allocate $160,000. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I do.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I believe that information is already out there. It is all in the grants and contributions reports. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Part of the fishing strategy moving forward is how do we encompass all seasons of fisheries and to grow the fishing industry to a sustainable level where it becomes viable and economic for the fishermen to make a more substantial living than they are.

One of the challenges moving forward with the whole strategy is going to be how do we get people to fish in the winter. That has to be a vital part of how we move this strategy as the plant needs to be open longer than shorter to make it economical; and when we look at our strategy moving forward there's a number of...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I believe SEED is an important part of our portfolio to help diversify the economy, help entrepreneurs get into business, help support businesspeople in the Northwest Territories. What I'm saying is I believe that we need to have a serious look if we are using this program effectively in a way, in a manner that helps diversify and grow our economy, and just have a harder look at how we're actually using this money. That's my goal as the Minister of ITI. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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We continue to reach out to all the territories and provinces on how we can enhance Aboriginal tourism in the Northwest Territories. The last report that I read, there are 32,000 Aboriginal people involved in Aboriginal tourism across Canada, and I believe the initiatives that we brought forward in Tourism 2020 are only going to enhance and improve tourism in the Northwest Territories and reach out to the world and show that Aboriginal culture and our languages that we have here bring more people to the North.