Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Could I have more detail about the convention bureau, what’s planned with that initiative? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Was this program modelled on the Yukon’s program? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to table the following document “request to reduce corporate tax rates – correspondence from the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.”

Those are scant details but I’ll take the Minister for his word. Perhaps he can commit to giving a tour of this new research centre to MLAs. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister elaborate on what this interlibrary loan program will entail? Has the department spoken to a law library in Alberta? I’m somewhat troubled when I see the assistant deputy minister in the media saying, “a law library somewhere in Alberta.” Does the Minister know which law library that is?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I spoke about the Department of Justice closing the law library and sources of public legal information in the Northwest Territories. I’d like to ask the Minister of Justice what kind of consultations were undertaken with the users of the library. Were lawyers, the Law Society, and legal advocates consulted in this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In our previous discussion, the Mining Incentive Program we have kind of a hard number: $400,000 is given out, but I think it’s $1.2 million that it’s oversubscribed by. That’s like the total amount of activity it could contain. That’s kind of the figure I’m looking for, just a sense of how many dollars are trying to access this fund and flow out of it. I take it that might not be readily available so I’m content to receive that from the department at a later date. My last question is about the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre. The infrastructure of that building is...

I can review the report, Mr. Chair, thank you. I note one of the complaints I guess or criticism of our otherwise spectacular and ever growing tourism market is there’s not enough things to do in our communities. I think this contribution could bear a lot of fruit in developing our tourism market by having more attractions and drawing more people in. Has the department taken a look at how to use this funding to kind of produce more tourism draws in our communities and get more people coming? For instance, just going back to the convention bureau, our convention space is rather limited; we don...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. For clarification, does the convention bureau also do work in Yellowknife or is it primarily focused on the communities? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Nothing further.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I asked the Minister some questions about the Mining Incentive Program the other day. We have heard in several statements it is a great program that generates a lot of economic activity in the exploration sector. I also asked if this amount would be increased. I note that it is staying the same in this budget, and the ministry indicated that the long-term plan for the Mining Incentive Program is to expand it. Can the Minister just confirm that that is the department’s perspective of this very successful program? Thank you, Mr. Chair.