Debates of November 29, 2007 (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. As I discussed in my Member’s statement, Education, Culture and Employment is providing grants through the NWT Arts Council to northern artists. When people go out and provide their product or finish their CDs or do their paintings or whatnot, what is done by ECE is basically an e-mail saying congratulations, this has been done, we’ve gave the person a grant, it’s great, whoo-hoo. It seems to end there. This is sad. There’s an opportunity for ITI to work closely with ECE to get this information and learn about these artists and promote these artists. I’d like to hear from the Minister of industry and tourism today that they will work closely with Education, Culture and Employment. They will get these names, they will get copies of these products, and they will include them in their tourism and marketing campaigns as a way to promote and enhance the Arts Society and create a reason for people, another reason for people to come to the Northwest Territories. So I’m looking for that commitment from the Minister today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 70-16(1): Coordinated Approach To Government Support For The Arts Sector

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m sure the Member will be pleased to hear that the Department of ITI and ECE have been working together very closely over the past several years. Both departments funded the development of an Arts Strategy in 2004. We have also funded a follow-up action plan two in 2007. I have listened very closely to what the Member is saying. I fully agree. I think it is a very good idea to support performing artists, especially if they record their work. I know that, in visiting other provinces and territories, other provinces and territories do that, as well. I will be working with my colleague from Education to update our action plan so that we can continue to support our performing artists. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Abernethy.

Supplementary To Question 70-16(1): Coordinated Approach To Government Support For The Arts Sector

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am aware of the document that you are talking about. To me, it didn’t address the artists that are out there being supported from the Arts Council. Like I said, there are a lot of musicians out there that have received money and are out there struggling to get their name known. It wouldn’t take very much for us to give them a little bit of a nudge through some of our marketing campaign to get their name out there and to utilize them, to ask them along when we are going out on tradeshows and whatnot as representatives of the North to say this is the type of music that is being produced. It is amazing the types of music that are out there. My question is obviously specifically related to those people that are getting the grants. Will you work with the Minister of Education to get those names, to get the product and to include the product in your marketing campaigns?

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 70-16(1): Coordinated Approach To Government Support For The Arts Sector

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our department has been doing that to a certain extent. You may recall that last year at the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, we had a large cultural component and we also had an NWT House where we featured performing artists from the Northwest Territories. We are planning to do something similar at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. We also have been successful in utilizing performers in our various tradeshows over the years. You might recall with Team Canada when we went to Dallas and Russia and Berlin, we used performing artists. So this is something that we would really like to continue to support. Thank you.