Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like I made a speech on my Member’s statement about the fishing industry in Hay River, I’d like the Minister of ITI to maybe let me know if they’ve had any discussions about opening the NWT borders. We have, throughout the country, everybody wanting to open the borders through NAFTA and through European agreements. Are they looking at that availability for fishermen to sell out to the other provinces?
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for the question. I think the department is very interested in finding a way to do just that. The FFMC has gone through a corporate review. There’s a meeting in a couple weeks’ time where some of these recommendations will be presented. There are jurisdictions looking to pull out. Back in 2010, the NWT fishermen voted to stay within that organization. I do think that, going forward, we need to find a better way to get things done and work with the fishermen and the industry here in the Northwest Territories to maximize those opportunities. Thank you.
I’m aware of the discussion on Freshwater. My concern is the availability to allow fishermen in the Northwest Territories to go out on their own and market in those areas. Some believe that BC and Alberta may be areas to expand. My question is: Has the department been working on other marketing of the fish along with Freshwater, I guess?
ITI has been working on promotion and support of commercial harvesting, processing, and marketing of fish and meat program that we have here in the Northwest Territories. It’s designed to increase the availability of locally produced healthy food in NWT communities. We’ve done some of that work such as a holding facility and processing facility in Kakisa. We’ve also renovated a building at Wool Bay and are looking at mobile processing facilities in the Sahtu. Any opportunity that we get to enhance the ability for people that are harvesting fish in the Northwest Territories to get it to not just a market outside the Northwest Territories but to markets here in the NWT, we’re interested in pursuing that. Thank you.
That goes right in line with my next question. Is the department working with all the other departments within the government to ensure that these types of fish products from the Northwest Territories are in the jails, in the hospitals, in the schools? Are they working to market in those areas?
The short answer is yes. This is an important aspect and will be an important aspect of a future economic development strategy here in the Northwest Territories that would include an industry like the fishing industry, again, so we can maximize the opportunities and get fish to market both locally and south of our border.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
