Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today about the services and funding provided to businesses here in the Northwest Territories. During the business plan review of the draft main estimates in the fall, the Department of ITI stated that they were working toward a one-window system being in place for business-related services in every region.
Mr. Speaker, this is a very interesting statement for the department to make, considering the fact that the last government and this one to date have done nothing to move toward a one-window delivery model that numerous studies and reports have recommended. Is ITI going to be the authority in all of this? And what about the BDIC? I’ve asked many questions previously about the role, mandate and future of the BDIC. This becomes even more murky now that it looks as though ITI is moving toward a one-window approach without the BDIC.
Given current economic conditions, we need to be doing everything in our power to ensure what little support we have for businesses is getting into the right hands. Mr. Speaker, let me be frank: most departmental funding is not going into business creation or expansion. What little infrastructure that is in rural communities is old and outdated. There really has been little to no diversification of our economy in the past six years. Overall, business growth is negative. Manufacturing is in decline. Tourism products and sales are in serious decline.
Mr. Speaker, last year 15 clients received more than $100,000 in contribution financing from ITI. This accounted for two-thirds of the value of all ITI contributions. How many of these clients were private businesses? The answer, Mr. Speaker, is none. Mr. Speaker, not a single, solitary one. Then, Mr. Speaker, there’s the SEED program, ITI’s main business development program where less than one-third of all funding actually found its way into businesses. We need to be very, very concerned over these trends, Mr. Speaker.
In the backdrop to all of this is the BDIC. Eighteen months ago I called on the government to have a meaningful, comprehensive and coordinated suite of services for economic and business development in our Territory. We have not made any headway, Mr. Speaker. In fact, statistics do not lie. We continue to regress.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted.
I recently read a quote from an American legislator, Jim Collin, that I would like to leave you with: The signature of mediocrity is not an unwillingness to change. The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
