Debates of January 20, 2004 (day 1)

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. With regard to my Member's statement, I’d like to ask the Minister of RWED for the GNWT’s current strategy for coordinating the GNWT activities relating to a pipeline being built down the Mackenzie Valley.

The honourable Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 3-15(2): Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Opportunities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With regard to the Member’s statement, the Member is certainly correct that this is one of the bigger challenges this government faces. He referenced the pipeline readiness office that DIAND has brought forward, and that is certainly something and a development that we are looking to work with. We do have the Mackenzie Valley preparedness division of RWED that is working in connection with the pipeline readiness office, and obviously there is a lot of collaboration that has to go on in order to make sure that residents are able to take care or take advantage of the economic development opportunities that will be coming their way. The Member referenced the community futures program. That is something that we believe is a cornerstone of economic development in the Northwest Territories, but it has been grossly underfunded historically. I think the Member knows that in the transfer with HRD in the early 90s, insufficient funding was transferred to cover all of the regions in the Northwest Territories. We have added to that pot with our own funds. The Business Credit Corporation has also made loans available to the community futures program at simply our borrowing cost. So we have been working with the community futures program to make sure that it meets as many needs as possible with residents of the Northwest Territories, specifically in this area to take advantage of economic development opportunities relating to the pipeline. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 3-15(2): Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Opportunities

I’d just like to ask the Minister, Mr. Speaker, if the government is going to create some kind of readiness offices or something similar in the near future. Thank you.

The honourable Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 3-15(2): Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Opportunities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is something that we are having internal discussion about with the Mackenzie Valley development planning office of RWED that is heading up the government’s efforts in this regard, but we do have a committee of deputy ministers that is working on the government response and we have done a number of things in collaboration with DIAND already and the pipeline readiness office. I don’t know if the Member is aware, but both RWED and DIAND did contract the McLeod Institute to look at options for collaborative approaches and strategies to manage impacts and take advantage of economic development opportunities caused by oil and gas development. We have also, as a government, hired a consultant to help us develop a clear and achievable 2003 strategic action plan to take advantage of the opportunities as well. So we have had a lot of discussion about working in closer collaboration with the pipeline readiness office and these are discussions that are ongoing, but we do recognize the need to make sure that we have folks on the ground to help our residents take advantage of opportunities that come their way. Thank you.