Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Member is correct; there is a program review being conducted by the program review office of the GNWT at the BDIC. I sat through almost two days of strategic planning with the BDIC, back a couple of months ago, and they are interested in seeing things move forward so that the suite of business services and programs to residents and businesses here in the NWT is streamlined. Thank you.
Thanks to the Minister for that further information. Will that be coming to committee, then, and what does it look like the time frame is on that? Thank you.
Mr. Chair, yes, the review should be complete by this fall. We certainly would look forward to at the earliest opportunity this fall to get that information before Members. Thank you.
Mr. Chair, thanks to the Minister for those remarks. I look forward to that program review office report.
The department and this division specifically is also the lead on trade matters. I know we are hosting the Agreement on Internal Trade, I believe it is. The GNWT is hosting this year. Is the Minister committed to retaining support for local businesses over outside businesses outside the Northwest Territories coming in and taking over from local businesses?
The example I use is, for example, an undertaking service is something that it takes a certain population to develop, and when one does develop, we obviously want to keep it. It would be run by people that know us and our families in a way that helps with that whole process. It has a lot of local benefits over an external company coming in from afar. That is an example.
We know that in that field the corporations are getting bigger and bigger and starting to roll over local providers of this sort of service. That is just by way of an example. Can I get assurance that the Minister is protecting our local businesses, especially our small ones? Thank you.
Mr. Chair, yes, we are set to host the meeting next week. We have had to re-evaluate how those meetings would take place. It is going to be a conference call with other Ministers from around the country and the federal government as well.
In regard to the Member’s comments about allowing international companies to come in and take business away from local businesses, I think we have a few things we can look to to protect us from that happening. Of course, there is the Business Incentive Policy here in the NWT. There are regional economic measures. There are Aboriginal economic programs. I believe those will protect businesses here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Mr. Chair, I think the Minister probably meant national corporations, if this is the internal trade. It just has to do with Canada. I was meaning companies external to the Northwest Territories, but Canadian or other companies within Canada that more and more seem to be Americans these days under the Conservative government, but I was referring to national companies. If I can just get confirmation on that. Thank you.
Yes, Mr. Chair, that is correct. Thank you.
Mr. Chair, thanks for that confirmation. Thanks for the Minister’s assurances there on protection of local businesses in the Northwest Territories.
The other one we know is that the Minister is spending time in Ottawa with the federal government and other provincial-territorial governments negotiating the European and Free Trade Agreement, so-called free trade. There is no such thing but that is what they seem to call it, and negotiating on behalf of our municipalities because, in this particular so-called Free Trade Agreement, corporations are always digging to get access further and further and now they are trying to get access to our municipalities and eventually they will be in our homes. They already are in some ways. They are driven in this way and want access at every level, while protecting the naturally confidential aspects of this demanding and non-transparent process. Has the Minister managed to consult with our municipalities to get their input towards the negotiations on the European Free Trade Agreement in a way that doesn’t defy this demand for confidentiality and non-transparency? Thank you.
Mr. Chair, first of all, I believe it is good that the Northwest Territories is at the table to protect our interests. We are included, not excluded, in these discussions. I want to put that out there first and foremost.
In regard to municipalities, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities had expressed concerns over any international agreement that would be binding upon municipalities and the tendering or procurement practices. The FCM suggested that the FCM be included and CETA at discussions. The FCM has also called on all provincial and territorial municipality associations to present resolutions to that effect to the respective provincial or territorial governments. The NWTAC made a subsequent request to all their member municipalities. A subsequent CETA resolution was received and discussed at the NWTAC general meeting which took place in Norman Wells a couple of weeks ago. ITI staff were there to make a presentation with regard to CETA and any possible impacts it may have on NWT municipalities. Subsequently, a resolution was carried at the AGM within the NWTAC top priority category that urges the GNWT to exempt communities from the CETA. The formal NWTAC resolution package is expected to be provided to the GNWT for a response in the near future. Thank you.
That is excellent news. Was that process initiated by this government? Did it come from municipalities independently? Thank you.
Mr. Chair, it was a joint effort. Thank you.
Excellent. Thank you for that comment. What is the situation with Nunavut? Does the Minister know what Nunavut’s stance is on this Free Trade Agreement? Thank you.
Not today, Mr. Chair, but perhaps next week. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Ramsay. I would ask the Member to maybe refrain from asking more questions on Northwest Territories issues. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I may just be allowed to complete the thought and relieve you of that concern, I think it is important that we are low on population in the North. It is useful to get together with our sister territories and develop common positions. I believe I have heard the Premier say that a number of times. I know that the Minister, too, agrees with that. I would have thought that we would have been in consultation with our sister territories. Are we in consultation with any of our sister territories? Thank you.
Mr. Vician.
Mr. Chair, when it comes to the European Union Agreement that is currently being negotiated between the federal government and the European Union, as the Minister has indicated, provincial and territorial parties are there. We have been at the officials’ level in discussions with our counterparts. However, it is a complex process. Due to the confidentiality of not really pursue chairing of the confidential positions by the various parties and as the Minister has indicated, this is an evolving negotiation, so it would be hard to define the exact position of one of those parties at any given point. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Vician. Mr. Bromley, your time is up. If you want to ask more questions, I will ask again here. Page 12-31, activity summary, economic diversification, business support, operations expenditure summary, $22.222 million. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I may, just to conclude that discussion; I appreciate this opportunity. Obviously, that is exactly the concern. It is a very well designed process to be totally non-transparent and try and reduce the communications and transparency. I am glad to hear the work the Minister is doing on this with the municipalities. I hope he will take these concerns to those meetings. I hope he also expresses concern about the lack of transparency, such as not being able to talk to our sister territories because of concerns about confidentiality. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Member’s comments and they’re duly noted. Thank you.
That’s all. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. We’ll move on to Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to ask the Minister on the impacts of closing and opening of mines and the oilfields and closing down. Is the Minister working on these things that we can have within our reading material? For example, Selwyn-Chihong is downscaling their mining production. This has some impacts in the Sahtu because the road comes through the Northwest Territories when they want to take out the minerals to market. Is there something that the Minister is working in the North?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess I need a little bit more clarification from the Member in terms of what exactly he wants to know we’re working on.
We know the status at any one time of the various projects that are underway across the Northwest Territories in the area of development and advancement. If there’s one in particular he wants an update on, we can provide that, but I’m not sure if he’s looking for a comprehensive view of all the projects that are ongoing or how that works. So maybe I’ll just go back to the Member for clarification on what he’s looking for. I’d be happy to provide it again.
Not specifically any type of project. I think I’m just looking at the overall photo of the economic model the government is working on. I know we talked about some mines here are closing down. We know their lifespan. Imperial Oil, that pipeline they say every 10 or 15 years, ever since I was young, it will be done in 20 or it should be done in 10 years. Mr. Chair, I’m over 50 years old and that pipeline is still running and we keep saying 10 years and 20 years, but nothing yet. So is there any type of… I guess what I’m looking for is some type of economic model that shows the impacts.
Yes, Mr. Chairman, there is. What I might suggest, though, is at some point in time we can look at mining and get in front of the standing committee and the Regular Members just to give you an update on where projects are at. In the past six months I’ve been at the Cordilleran Round-up in Vancouver and also to PDAC with some of the Regular Members, as well, and I’d be more than happy to give Regular Members an update on the advancement of mining projects around the territory. We’ve also got the Mineral Development Strategy, which we’re going to pursue; also the Economic Development Strategy. So there are a lot of exciting things happening and I think if the Members want an update on where projects are at, we’d be more than happy to sit down with the committee to go over what those prospects are.
Also on the other side of that, the prospects in the area of petroleum development in the territory is an exciting opportunity, as well, and I’d be more than happy to provide that to the Members as well. Thank you.
Thank you. I’ll stay tuned until we get to the EDI meeting when the Minister has that type of information coming forward.
The question I have now for the Minister is one I spoke to earlier, about the strong support of I have for the Minister to support our local fur trading program, Take a Kid Trapping program, and the amount of support the communities have seen in Colville Lake and some of the smaller communities. This program is very valuable, especially in the lifestyle. So I want to just give more of a comment and tell the Minister that we support it and we look forward to this program. It’s doing a lot of good for our kids. It’s showing them that this government is supporting their program. So that’s what I wanted to say to the Minister.
Again, I appreciate the Member’s support. He’s shown unwavering support for the traditional economy since the time that I’ve been a Member. We’re happy at ITI to advance the traditional economy through programs like Take a Kid Trapping and the CHAP program. We’ve seen unprecedented growth in fur prices. Just for example, beaver up 111 percent, mink up 36 percent, muskrat up 84 percent. There’s tremendous opportunity for trappers around the Northwest Territories. We’ve doubled the grubstake and money that we can offer upfront to trappers in the territory. We’ve doubled the amount through the CHAP program, the Community Harvesters Assistance Program. We’re doing what we can to encourage people to get involved in the traditional economy through trapping and it’s been very successful.
As I mentioned earlier, the Ministers I’ve spoken to in the Yukon certainly like the program that I told them about while I was there and would certainly like to have programs like we have here in the NWT in the Yukon when it comes to trapping. Thank you.
Thank you.
Page 12-31, activity summary, economic diversification and business support, operations expenditure summary, $22.222 million.
Agreed.
Okay. Page 12-32, activity summary, economic diversification and business support, grants and contributions, grants, $625,000.
Agreed.
Contributions, total contributions, $13.043 million, total grants and contributions. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to comment briefly on the SEED p rogram and the needs of the film industry. There’s been some work done to enhance support for the film industry and I think it’s been greatly appreciated, but there still seems to be a lot of frustration in that industry for the lack of the kind of support that they need.
I know this Minister supports the film industry. The 16th Assembly did some work in that area, but as the Minister knows, there is huge potential for business development here and for economic benefits that roll through the Northwest Territories and we have some really wonderful examples of successes. Often, though, they have to be based outside of the Northwest Territories and they still remain few in number, whereas we have a lot of talented artists that want to get better programs on the ground. Is there anything this Minister is contemplating to respond to that ongoing expressed need and frustration for the film industry? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Member’s comments. I do certainly support the advancement of the film industry here in the Northwest Territories and take any and every opportunity to promote the shows that have been filmed here when I am in other jurisdictions. When I was in Whitehorse, this is a competitive industry and certainly was impressed with what they had to offer in the Yukon.
Going forward I think it’s very important that as the Minister I’ve worked with the Regular Members to develop and advance what we have to offer here in the Northwest Territories. So as we move through the summer and then get into business plans in the fall, I’m really looking forward to sitting down and discussing some options for us to advance the film industry here in the Northwest Territories and that’s going to happen by working with the Regular Members.
That’s all, thanks.
Moving on to questions, we have Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to make quick comments. The Great Northern Arts Festival, it’s $25,000 last couple years and that’s what they’re getting this year. I just wanted to ask the Minister if that’s a fixed contribution agreement with the society or is it just what this government is allocating to them.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In addition to SEED it’s one specific contribution.
I’m not sure how much SEED money the society goes after, but just due to the increased costs of flying that we’ve been seeing lately, the increase to accommodations, the low number of tourism in the community of Inuvik, I think this would be a good opportunity to help our artists out in the Northwest Territories. Even partner territories, as they come up and showcase their artists, their talents, and the work that they do. It will also bring increased money to the economy of Inuvik. It also would create income for some of our artists. Would the Minister be willing to entertain an increase in the contribution of that $25,000 in future years?
The $25,000 that’s there goes directly to helping to organize the event. The various artists that display their wares at the arts festival would access funding through the SEED program. Whether or not the Great Northern Arts Festival receives anything more than the $25,000, again that is something I would be willing to sit down with Members and discuss.
I just appreciate the comments and the willingness to sit down with regard to the contribution. We’ll just take that further and when I go back I’ll have a meeting with the society and get a little bit more information to them. Thanks for the comments and the answers.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. More of a comment. Moving on to questions, I have Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On page 34 the agricultural development infrastructure. I think this is a very important contribution and I’m wondering what sort of monitoring the department is doing in terms of our food security and progress on this initiative. I think we’re starting to realize that this is an important industry and needs our support and has a lot of potential for meeting our needs in a way that also provides northern jobs and so on. If I could just get some idea of how we keep our finger on the agricultural pulse.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Ramsay.
