Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Our gold medalist there at the Olympics.
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Will this government place more attention and resources on small, remote communities regarding community-based economic development programs to assist small businesses? These resources should assist in areas such as providing community-based training and financial assistance.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a matter of course, the direction we’ve given to the department is to try to make sure every community in the Northwest Territories has at least one development project. I think that in the Nunakput region we’re fairly close to getting there and we do have a tool kit of programs we can provide for training for businesses and also to explain all the different funding programs that we have. We will be very pleased to work with the small communities so they can take advantage of these programs.
Will this government explore all current technologies and the needs of the Government of the Northwest Territories to try to find ways for small and remote communities all across the Territories to assist and benefit, such as call centres instead of having to use the ones in the South?
Certainly we look at all the modern technologies. We are limited to a certain extent by the communications networks that we have in the Northwest Territories. But we do have satellite technologies. We do have equipment so we can have conference calls. We do have TV so we can see each other when we have meetings. As a department we’re working with the private sector so we can take advantage of any and all opportunities that come along.
Will the Minister commit to me today to work with me to see if we can put up a call centre or some sort of assistance with the territorial government and a pilot project in one of my communities that I represent?
I would be pleased to work with the Member for Nunakput to examine all these different opportunities.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
