Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement today with this very exciting news about a community channel for Hay River going on to Bell Expressvu, as I mentioned, currently the community channel is managed by volunteers from the Hay River Elks Club. Now, there is a TV Channel Society, but it is all based on volunteers. I would imagine that now that we have gone live nationally that there will be a lot of people interested in having some input into the local content of that new TV station.
We have many photographers, videographers, media, people with interest in our community that do amazing work that would really promote the North. I would also say that we have events in Hay River that I think the rest of Canada would like to see. Just this past weekend we had dogsled races, snow machine races, we had the Kamba Carnival with every kind of traditional and northern activity you can think of. This could have all been videotaped, and this could be broadcast now right across the country and it’s local Hay River content.
I’d like to ask the Minister of ITI if he can see the value of this in terms of promoting Hay River and having a very positive effect on our economy. But the downside being that, right now, is it’s all being undertaken by volunteers. Is there any money allocated or earmarked within the government, within ITI, that an organization like the Community Channel Society could access to get some help to now orchestrate this amazing project? Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for her statement and questions today in the House. I think it’s a great opportunity, not only for Hay River but for the Northwest Territories, and if we can plug in the tourism angle, and arts and crafts, and a number of other things around the territory into that channel in promoting the Northwest Territories, I think that’s a good initiative. We’d be more than happy, at ITI, to sit down with the Member and see what support the community needs to have a staff person located there to maximize our opportunities through that channel. Thank you.
That’s what I wanted to hear and I’ll look forward to working on this with the Minister. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
