Kieron Testart

Can the Minister also explain if the Yellowknife rates are being used to subsidize rates in other rate zones throughout the NWT?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to ask the Finance Minister some questions. The Minister spoke about freeing up money to match federal investment. Yesterday, the Premier spoke about continuing to pursue, to support our strategic infrastructure corridors. Can we have some clarity on what kind of long-term projects we have for this $150 million? I think that's where the frustration comes from, Mr. Speaker, is that if we wait until the business plan cycle hits us, we have no idea where we're taking this government, and that's really what this conversation about the fiscal policy of this...

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to enhancing those programs or indicate whether or not those programs will be enhanced in the near future or will they stay the same? I appreciate that the department does a lot of work in this area, but, at a time, as the Minister indicated, where capital markets are tight, we need this investment. Is the department going to put more money into these opportunities, or are we keeping things status quo? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since 2013, the NWT has lost nearly a thousand smallmedium sized enterprises. What is the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment doing to bring small business and entrepreneurs back to the Northwest Territories and invest in our private sector? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I know exactly where I'm going, where my colleagues are going, and that's advancing the mandate priorities. Our concern, and my concern, is that we are not doing that as effectively as we can. Economic diversification, making business capital available to entrepreneurs, these are things that take cost. Correcting the serious problems with addictions, with housing, these are things that take cost. Ultimately we invest today to lower the cost in the future.

That's exactly the debate we're having right now, Mr. Speaker. My question is, are we taking our leadership from Ottawa on infrastructure...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier and the Finance Minister have talked about the importance of infrastructure in supporting the economy. In fact, it's the real tool to drive our economy forward. As the Minister has recently come to this portfolio, is the Minister willing to look at our procurement policies and bring in members of the private sector and procurement experts to find a way to make procurement more effective at boosting our economy and flowing capital into our communities and creating more jobs?

Is the Minister willing to take a look at BIP and our other procurement policies and...

Thank you to the Minister for that. I'm sure his experience as an entrepreneur himself will lend some new insight into our policies. One area that needs to be improved is the availability of investment capital for business opportunities. Right now, it's very hard for entrepreneurs to access investment, and, in a time when the global economy is not opening up to investment, what is our government doing to flow more capital to entrepreneurs and small businesses and allow them to make investments in our economy, create jobs, and diversify a stalled economy that is overly dependent on resource...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the legacy I want to leave for the Northwest Territories is one where we are no longer the weakest economy in Canada's North, one where we are no longer the second-worst when it comes to social ills in this country. I want a Northwest Territories that is stronger going forward into the future and can be a leader for Canada and the entire circumpolar world.

We created a mandate together to take us there and that mandate is the centre piece of this 18th Assembly. If we are going to fulfill that mandate, then we need to start investing in that mandate. One...

Could the Minister then commit to undertaking some study on the managed alcohol programs or harm reduction programs, such as INSITE in British Columbia and the successful managed alcohol program in Ottawa, and share those recommendations with Members of the Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you to the Minister for that response. So would the department then be in a position to look at the situation in Yellowknife, with the recent media reports supporting this kind of approach, and be willing to discuss developing a pilot with local government officials to start taking some action on this cost-effective action?