Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, plus the Minister of Finance. I know we’re kind of in budget mode right now and we live in a very unique part of Canada, of course, called the Northwest Territories, and on a scale of advancing the economies, perhaps communities that live in a have-not kind of a domain as part of the Northwest Territories are kind of described as traditional economies. At the very high end we have a booming industrial-based resource economy. For the large part, these smaller communities and people are reliant on the traditional activities like fishing, hunting and trapping just to sustain and supplement their high cost of living. For that matter, in small communities as well there’s an absence of opportunities in terms of jobs, business advancement, growth. What I would like to ask the Minister of Finance is: What unique approaches would the Minister apply or employ in efforts to invigorate traditional economies in communities? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a range of existing initiatives across government. The Minister of ITI is looking at an Economic Development Strategy. We’re talking about, as well, and I reference in my address, the fur and trapping programs that we’re trying to encourage people to put money into the hands of trappers to get kids, young people on the land. We have the seed funding that is available through ITI. There’s a range across government.
More importantly, I would ask the Member – even though it’s not my position to ask questions in this House – if the Member has specific suggestions that we could look at that would inform our decision-making. There’s a budget process underway, as he said, but if he has specific suggestions, then we – if I can speak on behalf of Cabinet – would be very happy to hear what those are to see how we, as we have just done with Mrs. Groenewegen, collectively accommodate good ideas.
I’d like to thank the Minister for his response. One of the suggestions that I’ve made is examining in terms of how unique communities are in their circumstances. I think I’ve floated the idea of perhaps a community economic model that could be perhaps profiled and maybe generically considered in terms of development strategies to try and help local economies be invigorated.
My follow-up question is: I know, I mean it’s a fact, that up here in the Northwest Territories we have a high cost of living. Fuel is expensive. Of course groceries are expensive, too, in small communities. Therefore, our people that try to survive in the have-not communities supplement their existence by going out on the land and harvesting food. My question to the Minister is: Is the department or this government considering perhaps an initiative to try and curb the cost of goods that are transported up here in terms of examining maybe the concept of a food subsidy program so that at least we improve to try and help the people that are living at ground level in the communities?
There’s no food subsidy program being contemplated other than we are peripherally involved in the existing Food Mail Program that is run by the federal government.
I would point out, as a Legislature and government we want to proceed and continue on with the Rural and Remote Communities committee which will provide a table for the MLAs from the small communities, like the Member himself, to gather around a table to have discussions about this business planning process that’s starting up for 2013-2014 in June. The benefit of having the committee gather and get mobilized would provide a venue to have that kind of a discussion in a more thorough way to provide advice and feedback into that process.
It seems that the Minister of Finance might be suggesting that at some point there could be some form of an economic conference to involve small communities to ensure that at least they have a hand and input in terms of how it is that we could all help each other and work in unity to ensure that the economy is sustainable here in the Northwest Territories.
My final question is: Has there been consideration across perhaps each sector of the economy in terms of whether it’s manufacturing or transportation or tourism, but for the most part to try and ensure that at the receiving end the consumers, the people that live in communities could be perhaps assisted in terms of trying to curb the high cost of living? Has the Department of Finance considered further subsidies? For example, subsidies to businesses to transport goods up here.
As the Minister of ITI proceeds with the work on his Economic Development Strategy, there will be a consultation of the nature that the Member has raised.
I would also point out that I referenced the suite of programs and opportunities that are there related to traditional pursuits. There are programs that deal with the northern fishery, there are processing opportunities, we have a Manufacturing Policy, we have a Business Incentive Policy.
The work we’re doing long-term with all the energy initiatives are all geared towards trying to lower the cost of living in communities. One of the biggest costs, of course, is with energy. We’re going to continue that. There are no additional food subsidies or there are no food subsidies contemplated. We’re focusing more on trying to design the system to make it as efficient and effective as possible.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Nadli. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
