Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we’ve heard already today and earlier this week, this is Small Business Week across Canada and in the NWT. A small business in Canada is defined as having from five to 100 employees. Today I want to specifically acknowledge Small Business Day this Saturday, October 25th.
Small business owners represent the best of the Canadian spirit. They’re entrepreneurs, innovators, job creators and an integral part of our communities, large and small. From coast to coast to coast, Canadian small businesses help drive local economies and keep our communities strong. Small businesses with less than 50 employees, including businesses with no employees at all, represent almost 98 percent of the total business establishments in Canada. They are the heart of our economy.
Here in the NWT there are hundreds of hardworking small business owners. In my Frame Lake riding alone, there are, at last count, over 50 small businesses. To keep our small northern businesses as strong and going concerns, they need greater consideration from the GNWT and our procurement system.
We should be doing all we can to get GNWT contracts to our local/northern small businesses. But the system seems to work against that premise. Do we design RFPs, contracts and tenders with a view to make them easily filled by a northern small business? It often seems we do not. So if government can’t help our small businesses, we, as individuals, as northern consumers, can help our small businesses.
We can stop searching out products and buying them online. Instead, find a northern supplier. Search out local small businesses. Ask them to special order what you want or what you need. We must frequent and buy from our local small businesses to keep them thriving.
So, two days from now, on Saturday, you can show your support for NWT small businesses. Go shopping and shop small. Your neighbours and constituents will thank you for it. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
