Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have questions for the Minister of ITI and their current plan of how to revitalize the NWT fishery and maybe the construction of the fish plant in Hay River. I know that they’ve invested in capital money, but I know we’re looking for federal money.
Can I ask the Minister where we currently sit in negotiations with the federal government to invest in the Hay River fishery? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The federal government has been very good supporters of economic development here through the CanNor office here in Yellowknife and across the North. We continue to discuss, with the federal government, an opportunity to invest in a commercial fishery on Great Slave Lake, and we do need about $5.5 million to put in an export grade fish plant in Hay River. We have earmarked $1.5 million. We’re going to need some partners. We have to continue to put the question on the table to the feds. I had the opportunity last year to meet with Minister Shea in Ottawa. We’ve invited her to the Northwest Territories. We want the federal government and the Ministers to be able to realize what a resource the commercial fishery is in Hay River. Of course, this is an election year, so it’s important that that question about the revitalization of the commercial fishery on Great Slave Lake is front and centre in election campaigns this fall. Thank you.
The Minister indicated he had a meeting previously with the federal Minister.
Can the Minister indicate to me when the next planned meeting or FPT on this type of situation would be coming up? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I will be back in Ottawa next week, and of course this is an issue that is important to the Member, it’s important for our territory. We have to continue to focus our efforts on the revitalization of this fishery. We are going to try to attract more fishers. We also have a vision for what we want to see with the commercial fishery on Great Slave Lake, and I want to thank the Member and his counterpart, Mrs. Groenewegen, for their help and support in us trying to get where we need to go. Thank you.
In the department’s plan that I heard last week, they talked about the price of fish and trying to bring that up.
Is the Minister aware of what the department is looking to do in increasing the price of the fish for the fishermen in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Our South Slave regional office is currently reviewing our subsidy program. Of course, they are going to continue to engage with the Fishermen’s Federation. Now that we have developed a business plan with the Fishermen’s Federation, we will have to bring that plan and the fishery into the 21st century by dramatically changing all the fundamentals that have been in place for well over four decades. This plan proposes new ownership, new responsibilities, new markets, a new commitment and, finally, the plan will bring along a new, long overdue vision, as I mentioned earlier, that will support the fishery for the years ahead of us. I want to thank the Member for his questions.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m sure the Minister has been briefed about the meeting. At that meeting the fishers asked for the subsidy. The department indicated the price is going to go up. The current fishers are asking for that price to be actually subsidized to that level right now so they can see how the industry will react to that type of price currently.
Is the Minister willing to commit to looking at that type of subsidy to increase the price for fishers on the Great Slave Lake? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I mentioned earlier, we are currently engaged with the Fishermen’s Federation. We are reviewing the subsidy program that we have in place. This really is, or would be, a short-term or band-aid solution. The real effort has to be into the long-term vision of the fishery on Great Slave Lake. But if there is a way we can continue to work with the Fishermen’s Federation in Hay River and the subsidy program, we want to ensure we are providing the supports we need to ensure we can get where we need to go, and that is have a vibrant commercial fishery industry on Great Slave Lake. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
