Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about the importance of the Prospectors Grubstake Program and I certainly would like to see it come back. During the Geoscience Forum that happened a number of weeks ago here in Yellowknife, different people talked about how important that contribution to the Grubstake Program was to help stimulate the work out there for prospecting.
Finally, you don’t have to look too far; you can look to the left of the NWT or to the right of the NWT to see how important mineral exploration can be to a particular territory’s economy. That brings me to my question. Would the Minister of ITI be willing to look at bringing back the Grubstake Program in its old form to help prospectors get out there prospecting, which is really one of the backbones of the economy of the Northwest Territories?
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. David Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly I appreciate the Member’s concern over the Prospectors Grubstake Program, a program that was cut loose back in 2009. Today I believe we really need to send a message to folks that are out there prospecting, that the Government of the Northwest Territories is interested in the work that prospectors provide. The program historically was oversubscribed and I would certainly be interested in working with committee. I know the Member chairs the Economic Development and Infrastructure committee. I would certainly be interested in working with the committee to ensure that a program like the Prospectors Grubstake Program is brought back so that we can keep the momentum going.
We just had an announcement on the additional geoscience money and I agree with the Member that it’s the foundation of finding economically viable mineral deposits is through geoscience work and prospecting that that happens. It’s an important initiative.
I appreciate the answer from the Minister. I’d say what better way to show the industry, the prospectors and largely the mining industry that we’re committed to a mining future here. This issue is not singularly sung by myself. Is the Minister getting feedback from many of those in the mineral development community saying that this is something that will help kick-start further exploration in the Territories and, if so, what hurdles or challenges does the Minister see in bringing this policy forward so that we can help seed the Grubstake Program again?
During the recently held Geoscience Conference here in Yellowknife I had the opportunity to speak to a number of folks who attended that conference and this was an issue that was brought to my attention. I have already instructed the department to come up with some ways in which we can bring this program back. When those options do materialize, I will certainly be happy to share them with the Member and the committee so that we can move forward with it.
As I mentioned in my Member’s statement, I mentioned that training is an important component of this. Training isn’t just for the prospector, it also works for the communities so that when people do show up on their doorstep and want to do mineral development, people are a little further educated along as to what this will do. The reason I raise this is it has to go hand in hand with the development of the Grubstake Program. Would the Minister be looking at the same time bringing a training component back into the program to ensure that prospectors have training as well as communities have training as to what to expect?
I believe as we move this forward, we get to the business plans and we get to discuss the priorities of the department and where we are moving forward, I think a training component to this is something that’s important to the Members of this House. I believe there’s some value to it. We could certainly look at that further down the road.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Short, final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
For my final question, and it’s really built around to where do we go next. If we can get this Grubstake Program in place, tie it to a training program and initiative, it only makes sense if it follows suit with a resource development policy. I think that’s a critical component to make sure that this three-legged stool stands or else it will tip over. It’s all linked together in a broader, longer term vision. What does the Minister see in tying these three things together to make sure that we do have a future that’s open for business, just like our territories to the right and left of us, showing the world that we’re ready to do business and we want an economy running on all cylinders because we’re excited to do business and keep people employed?
I share the Member’s enthusiasm. We do need to find a way forward. We have to, as I mentioned earlier, keep the momentum going, keep that positive attitude going in the area of looking for mineral development in our territory, both on the mineral side and oil and gas side. Certainly the three things that the Member talks about are interconnected. I have instructed the department to come back with a way and a means in which a program like the Prospector Grubstake Program can be re-established, and I look forward to again working with the Member and working with this committee to move this initiative forward.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
