Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke in support of subsistence harvesters in Nunakput, and my questions are for the Minister of ITI. Mr. Speaker, my first question is: has ITI investigated the viability of a tannery in the Beaufort Delta recently, and when was the last time this idea was explored? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.
Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not have the exact year when the department looked into this initiative, but I know that they have looked into it, and with this initiative moving forward, they figured that the reasons that they could not proceed with it was the high capital cost of equipment, the facilities, high utility costs in the region, and waste management concerns, as there is a lot of processing that needs to take place. I think the other issue at the time was also the existing procurement of hides that would be available to make this a viable operation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, my second question for the Minister is: will ITI look at the idea of home tanning kits for Nunakput and remote communities in the Northwest Territories?
Yes, we can have a look at it. I know that the department does community-based tannery workshops, and we will continue to do that across the Northwest Territories, but if the Member has any ideas around some home tanning kits ideas, I would gladly sit down and discuss it with them.
I look forward to that. Mr. Speaker, my final question to the Minister is: what is the department doing to assist harvesters who want access to tanning options?
With the development of the Mackenzie Valley Genuine Valley Fur Program, the fur procurement programs by ITI, fewer harvesters are looking at owning tanning operations, or doing their own tanning operations.
I can speak to the department of the region in the South Slave actually looking at the exact same thing, I believe, that was proposed in the Beaufort Delta, a viable option of doing a tannery in the South Slave. When we get these results back, I would gladly share them with the Member.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
