Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform this Assembly that the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation, in partnership with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Aboriginal Business Canada, will be hosting the third biennial Northern Economic Development Practitioners Conference in Yellowknife from December 1 to 4, 2008.
The theme for NEDP 2008 is Building Northern Capacity — an excellent fit with this Assembly’s goals and priorities for the development of our economy and our people.
Northern economic development practitioners — including community economic development officers, Community Futures staff, and federal and territorial government employees — all play a vital role in meeting the needs of residents across the territory through the promotion and delivery of programs and services to our business community.
This conference will bring together approximately 100 economic development service providers from across the Northwest Territories. Participants will receive relevant training, increase their awareness of the programs and services available, and learn about future business prospects in the territory.
Mr. Speaker, NEDP 2008 will be an opportunity for practitioners to communicate directly with industry representatives and to make sure that the programs and services available to northern entrepreneurs are relevant, coordinated and focused on helping them to take advantage of development opportunities as they emerge.
In addition to the four host organizations, the conference planning committee includes the NWT Community Futures Association, the Rural Secretariat and the NWT Regional Program Management Advisory Committee. This project, Mr. Speaker, is an excellent example of how we are working together to ensure that our business community has the skills, knowledge and resources to realize its full potential.
I would like to thank the staff from the BDIC, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and each of our partner organizations for their ongoing efforts to make this year’s Northern Economic Development Practitioners Conference a success.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
