Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all know that we are in unprecedented times of economic downturn and nobody knows what the next newscast or next bad lot of news is going to be. We’ve seen what the federal government has done in terms of the economic stimulus; small things, even, like the home improvement tax rebate. We’re waiting to see what the infrastructure dollars are going to actually bring to the North. Small things again on the part of our government. I want to thank the Minister of ITI for really looking at the SEED program, Support for Entrepreneurs in Economic Development, through our government. They are small things, but all together they go together to help alleviate some of the pressures here in the North.

The Minister of Housing mentioned some of the housing programs and I’m hoping that more Northerners can take advantage of those to upgrade their homes to make them more cost effective. This as a by-product does stimulate our economy because it puts contractors to work and sells lots of materials.

I look forward to the EDI committee meeting with the Minister of ITI after session here to take a look at the money that’s remaining in the Opportunities Fund and again look for ways that we can be supportive to northern business as we go through these difficult times ahead. The forecast for how long this recession is going to last now vary, but certainly now we’re up to predictions that have gone from a year to 18 months, to one prediction I heard last night that this could last for a decade. We need to be ready.

The businesses here in the North also struggle with getting workers. If any of these major capital projects do come to the North, too, there is going to be an issue with getting workers. When you hear of all the layoffs everywhere else in the country, it makes me wonder if there are not Canadians out there who would be interested in relocating to the North. I know we do very focused and targeted recruitment and retention initiatives as the GNWT, but perhaps we need to do a campaign to suggest to some adventuresome Canadians out there who would be interested in relocating to the North. I know we do very focussed and targeted recruitment and retention initiatives as the GNWT, but perhaps we need to do a campaign to suggest to some adventurous Canadians out there who have lost their jobs in southern Canada, that maybe the North is a place that they could look to.

I appreciate the work of ECE on the foreign workers coming in through the Nomination Program and also through the expedited labour market opinion. I know this has taken a lot of pressure off businesses in the North with being able to get foreign workers.

I do support immigration, but, Mr. Speaker, I can’t believe that there are not some adventuresome Canadians out there who would like to look to the North. I do believe it still is a challenge for businesses and I would like this government to take a role in that. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.