Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Is the department willing to work with Enterprise to develop a visitors information centre at the site of the old weigh scale? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The quick answer is yes. I really enjoyed the opportunity to travel with the Member to Enterprise earlier this summer and talk to some of the community leaders in Enterprise about the prospect of a visitors centre to be located at the former weigh scale site. We really do need to satisfy the land tenure issue with the weigh scale site, and I’d be happy to try to help the Member. I know there’s an application that the hamlet has currently in play. I’m happy to help and try to get some answers on a time frame on the disposition of that land.
I will say that having a visitors centre located on the highway in Enterprise would be very beneficial not only for the community of Enterprise but also communities like Fort Resolution, Hay River and Fort Smith. Thank you.
The Minister has indicated that he’s willing to help out the community in terms of the land tenure. What else can the community do in terms of trying to at least set the stage for a constructive dialogue between perhaps the community and the department? Is there something that perhaps could be a precondition that the community could consider just to help with the process of advancing the land tenure? Mahsi.
Thank you. I understand the community was and had made application for several large parcels of land in and around the community, and that is something, as I mentioned to the Member in my previous response, that I’d like to help the community and the Member out with in trying to understand better how that former site could go to the community of Enterprise if their intent is to have a visitors centre there. I’ve talked many times in this House about the Economic Opportunities Strategy and the role tourism plays here in the Northwest Territories.
At some point in time, I certainly would like to see a visitors centre in Enterprise. I know while we were there, we also had a look at a large statue of a trapper. Something like that on the highway near a visitors centre or adjacent to a visitors centre would certainly attract people to come and see another story about the Northwest Territories about the impact that trapping has had on our society here in the Northwest Territories. That’s something – and I know I’ve had that discussion with some of the Member’s constituents about that, as well – I feel strongly about seeing happening at some point in time. Thank you.
I’d like to thank the Minister for his reply. Besides the timeliness of replying to the community, can the Minister enlighten this side of the House in terms of what is the issue in terms of the land transfer? Is it because of devolution, or is it just because all of the support mechanisms are not in place? Mahsi.
Thank you. My understanding is that because the application was for a number of large parcels, it’s a complicated process. Of course, that’s something that doesn’t fall under the purview of ITI and my ministership. It would be a question best answered by the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
I will certainly talk to the Minister and we will try to get that land tenure issue sorted out for the community of Enterprise. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In terms of trying to advance the visitors information centre forward and in preparation for the summer, could the Hamlet of Enterprise apply for funding through the department’s Community Tourism Infrastructure Program?
Thank you. We do have programs available on a regional basis, as well, and I’d encourage community leaders in Enterprise to contact our office in Hay River. We could have somebody in the community to discuss funding options for the community, but I think before we move too far down that road we really do need to satisfy the land tenure issue on the former weigh scale site. That’s something, as I mentioned earlier, that will help the Member and the community to try to sort out in due course. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
