Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to speak of the largest contributor to our economy, the source of continued growth and the real economic engine of the Northwest Territories. I am, of course, speaking about our mining industry, and I do appreciate the advocacy that our Ministers and government do to support the continued growth and development of the industry, which is why I was shocked to read the most recent Fraser Institute annual survey of mining companies from the year of 2017.

It's a survey that was electronically circulated to approximately 2,700 individuals between August 22nd and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister is dedicated to a charm offensive at these trade shows and industry events and mining conferences, but I would like to know what we have to show for it. How much mining investment has been attracted to the Northwest Territories since this government took office? Thank you.

The issue in this most recent Fraser Institute report that is primarily the holdup for investment from the survey respondents, and this is a direct quote, is that "ongoing disputes over land claims and protected areas create uncertainty for investors." I would like to ask the Minister what his plan is to address those specific concerns. Let's start with land claims.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Mining Investment what he is doing to address the ongoing concerns about the perception of investors that the Northwest Territories is not as ideal a climate for mining investment as other jurisdictions in Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, training concerns were identified as a key issue by staff at the correctional facility, who contacted Regular Members raising their concerns. How is the Minister addressing those concerns around staff training in this budget? Thank you.

Mr. Chair, the issue of correctional officer training has been raised in this Assembly before. It has been a concern of many of the staff at the facility. The Minister is quite aware of this. I am surprised that he does not have those numbers here. Can he give an approximation of the resources dedicated to training in this budget? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister touched on this previously, but the regulatory environment in the Northwest Territories is of course of deep concern for the mineral development industry. PDAC lists several concerns: the organizational model on processes adopted by relevant regulatory bodies, inadequate resources for regulatory bodies leading to delays in processing applications, and finally politically induced delays in the regulatory process. What is the Minister doing to ensure we have a sound regulatory process that does not lead to delays in advancing exploration of mineral resource...

Thank you to the Minister. It is always good to hear our Ministers are being productive when they are looking for more investment in our economy. One of the issues that PDAC lists as a key consideration is access to capital, and they note that exploration is the riskiest part of mineral development, with only 1 in 10 exploration projects leading to drilling and only 1 in 10,000 leading to a mine, and that access to capital and financial incentives is crucial to securing the success of those projects.

What is the Minister doing to ensure that exploration companies have access to capital? What is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The 2018 South Slave Arctic Winter Games fast approaches. It will be the 25th Arctic Winter Games for the Circumpolar World.

These games will inspire all participants to find their power through a unique and exceptional sporting and cultural experience that Northerners of all stripes will benefit from.

Not only does this provide the opportunity for our young athletes to shine, but it will show off the beauty and unique culture of the South Slave region of the Northwest Territories, the region of our territory that does not get put into the spotlight nearly enough. Every...

Thank you. I will just conclude that. Previous to what is going on now, has the frequency changed? What I am getting at is: are we doing anything differently from before these changes went in place? Is there any way that they can provide some details on how they have made a meaningful change in how communication is going from headquarters to the facility? It is fine to hear we are doing a better job, but in the absence of policy or numbers in this budget, I would like some assurances. Thank you, Mr. Chair.