Debates of February 9, 2005 (day 32)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the ongoing exploration and the pipeline preparation work, we are seeing more and more joint ventures between northern and southern businesses. Many people in my region are concerned that our people are not receiving meaningful participation benefits in these joint ventures. Because of this concern, there is no regional strategy in place to look at the type of guidelines these joint ventures are all about and sometimes we don’t know what a genuine Sahtu business is and sometimes we’re even competing against ourselves. So my question today is for the Minister of RWED. Will the Government of the Northwest Territories consider funding a regional workshop or business conference for the Sahtu to discuss this experience to date and the possibility of developing a strategic work plan for joint ventures and other business opportunities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 346-15(3): Strategy Workshop On Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I’d like to thank the Member for the question. The Member knows and I thank him for his interest, but the Member will remember the meeting that we had in my office with some conference organizers who were proposing to do and put on just the type of conference that the Member is speaking of. That was back, I believe, Mr. Speaker, last October. We did have some discussion about what their plans were. I thought it was a very worthwhile initiative and agreed to help them in planning the conference and had provided them some funds to do so. We are waiting on an update to understand better where they are proposing to go and when the time frame would be. I would certainly offer my support and participation in such a conference, especially after having come back just recently from Norman Wells and understanding exactly how important this will be to the region. I think the Member is right; we do have to make every effort to ensure that meaningful, tangible benefits stay in the North and do accrue from these business opportunities that are coming the region’s way. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 346-15(3): Strategy Workshop On Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister, for the reminder. I want to ask the Minister of RWED, in light of the support you have given our region in terms of allocating your resources in the region of RWED to assist with this planning, I know the dates have been moved around. I want to ask if the Minister would commit to his department sitting down with our planners and look at some dates that we could actually have a conference. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 346-15(3): Strategy Workshop On Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely. It would be my pleasure to do so. I expect that our Sahtu regional staff are in current discussions with the planners of the conference. I know that we have a Sahtu regional petroleum advisor who was working on this initiative, as well. I will certainly ask them for an update. If there is anything I can do personally to lend my support, I am more than happy to do that. Thank you.