Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Small communities all over this country are benefiting from a wide range of economic development opportunities due to advances in technology. For example, entering data for the Department of Health and Social Services, graphic design with ECE, and GIS work with ENR can be all done in the small, remote communities by Northerners.
Recently I received a response from the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, the Honourable Bob McLeod, committing to reviewing all of these opportunities in small, remote communities. Mr. Speaker, I challenge the Minister and the government to develop real options and concrete plans so we can deliver all of these opportunities to the people, to our residents before the end of this Assembly.
With the establishment of these services all across the North, infrastructure capacity will follow, providing more opportunities to government who will get... We have to get serious as a government, Mr. Speaker, and invest in our small communities. Why should private industry...
As I expressed last spring, Nunakput communities go through every year people having to leave the community to places like Inuvik and Yellowknife to get... The primary reason it occurs is lack of real jobs, Mr. Speaker. The opportunities for the North for our home communities are going to be a serious problem in our future. The communities are going to be a place where people most go home for holidays in the summer. Will our communities be empty for our youth? This government needs to get active to assist the communities and get serious programs and real jobs created so our residents don’t have to leave our communities.
The unemployment situation in communities is a serious issue that this government almost failed on. The lack of opportunities, the lack of hope for our youth in Nunakput communities is an area the government has failed to work on. This government needs to place more attention and resources in small, remote communities. Community-based economic development programs, these resources should be an area such as assistance for community-based business development.
All over the country, companies are improving. The geographic limitations are no longer obstacles, thanks to increasing technologies. People work from home in other provinces. For example, with current technologies, small communities all over the Northwest Territories, such as Sachs Harbour, like I said last year, could be a call centre, Mr. Speaker. This government should...
Mr. Jacobson, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mr. Speaker, for example, with current technologies, communities all over the Northwest Territories, such as Sachs Harbour, could be a call centre. This government should take advantage of these technologies to assist in development of our community-based businesses. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
