Debates of February 18, 2005 (day 39)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier of the Northwest Territories, Joe Handley. My questions relate to the renewable resource of fish in our territory. Mr. Speaker, Minister Bell had attended in Hay River with the fisherman lately and, as I mentioned in my Member’s statement, RWED has devoted a full-time employee to assist the fishermen in what they are trying to do. I feel that we have entered into, perhaps, a new era in this government in terms of attention to our fishery, and I’m very pleased about that as a Member for Hay River. Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of attention in our government, which is currently being paid to the non-renewable resource sector, which seems like it’s going to be something that brings a lot of economy to our territory in the next while. But I think it will be very meaningful for the Great Slave Lake fishermen representatives here today, Mr. Speaker, to hear the Premier state this government’s commitment to the sustainability of the renewable resource sector in our territory, as well. Could the Premier please make his commitment on that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 421-15(3): Sustaining Our Fishery Resources

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First I’d also like to welcome the fishermen, and Bea and the others, to the gallery today. They do represent a very important part of our economy and one that we feel very strongly must be sustained. We do have a valuable resource in Great Slave Lake, as well as in other lakes, both for commercial and for sport fishing. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the Minister of RWED has dedicated a full-time person to this industry. We have long felt, as a government, that we’re not getting a good deal out of the freshwater fish marketing arrangement. It’s where our fish are taken all the way to Winnipeg or wherever it is and mixed in to add value to the whole lot. I don’t think that’s being fair to our northern economy, and I’m very pleased with the work that Minister Bell has done and the work that the staff person will do with the fishermen in ensuring that we do have a sustainable economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 421-15(3): Sustaining Our Fishery Resources

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the initiatives of the new task force group is to work with the Marine Stewardship Council to have our Great Slave Lake identified and certified as a sustainable fishery. Many other commercial fisheries involve things like restocking, then fishing out the same fish. Issues related to climate and things just do not see those fish having the same quality as our white fish from Great Slave Lake. We’ve known this for a long time, but we have not found a way to brand our fish as unique here. So under this initiative to work with the Marine Stewardship Council to have our lake certified as a stable fishery, would the government commit to support this endeavour? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 421-15(3): Sustaining Our Fishery Resources

Mr. Speaker, let me say that our government will support this initiative. Having said that though, we have to keep in mind that it is the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans that manages commercial fishing in the Northwest Territories. I hope someday that becomes our responsibility as a northern government to manage but, in the meantime, we’ll work with DFO and we’ll work with the other partners to achieve the goal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.