Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of ITI. I want to ask the Minister of ITI, has his department been investigating or looking at a concept where international beading or design-making or makers come together in the North to share their experience with other designers around the world?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Not to my knowledge, I don’t believe that’s happened yet. I know the department has initiated some jewellery workshops across the territory, and we’re looking forward to doing more things like that.
The issue with beading and, of course, the beadwork here in the Northwest Territories is it’s probably some of the best in the world. If the Member has somebody in one of his communities in the Sahtu who’s interested in trying to put a program like that together, that’s something that we’d be interested in hearing about and helping support. Thank you.
People in the North are the best source as bead makers and Members around the Assembly here certainly demonstrate the fine work that our people have done in the Northwest Territories.
I would like to ask the Minister if he would maybe instruct his staff to look in the North and see if we could somehow formulate a discussion around having an international forum on beading and making vests or making jackets, right across. It would bring our people together with other international groups so that we could demonstrate our high quality of professionals.
Yes, I can ask the staff at ITI about the concept. The other thing I’ll mention to the Member, if he has someone who can spearhead putting together a proposal, a plan at the community level and advancing that to the regional office in Norman Wells, then we can take things from there. But I will commit to go back to the department and ask them their thoughts on this issue. Thank you.
Has the department initiated some policies or regulations to protect our…(inaudible)…from any type of abuse or any type of stealing of our designs or our beadwork?
That’s something I’ll have to go back to the department and ask them about. I’m not aware of any patents or copyrights on anything like that. That’s not to say that it may be worth something the department wants to look at, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you. I look forward to that, Mr. Speaker. Also, sewing, beading and making jackets has a lot of power. Has the Minister ever engaged in this type of work with his department in conjunction with the Health department, asking the meaning behind the beadwork or putting together a moosehide jacket or traditional wear such as yours, Mr. Speaker, in regards to helping our people with issues in their life?
I certainly appreciate that there’s a story behind every piece of beadwork that we see, not just here in the House but across the territory, and we certainly respect that. We’ll continue to have a discussion. If there’s a therapeutic side to that type of work, that activity, then that’s something I’ll have a discussion with my colleagues at ECE and Health and Social Services. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Menicoche.
