Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. I would like to ask him when he is planning to table the Manufacturing Strategy. Mahsi.
Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is something that we have been working on, but to update this House, we have actually shared this with the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment on February 15th for comment. Once it has been looked at by committee and responded to, we will be working on finalizing the strategy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Could the Minister give us a preview by telling us how that strategy will assist a small-scale manufacturing plant like the one that I discussed in my statement, the fish-tanning plant in Iceland? How will this strategy help that kind of enterprise?
This strategy has been something that I have been following very closely. As the Member probably knows, I used to be the chair, I guess, of the Manufacturing Strategy. We actually invited the Canadian president of the Manufacturers' Association of Canada to come up and participate with committee and the Members, and we actually had a couple of the Members of the committee participate. I think the Member from Hay River North was there, and the chair of the Standing Committee on Economic Development was there, as well, to be able to participate in these discussions. We have had a number of actions that are proposed in this draft strategy moving forward. Through discussions with the northern manufacturers to date, these proposed actions have been met with a positive response by the manufacturers, and it should lead to strengthening the strategy.
To your specific question of what would it do for fish tanning, I have had discussions with the Member on that, and it is a very novel concept. It is something that I actually thought was very interesting, and that I didn't even know about, that is taking place in other parts of the globe. That would have to be an initiative that would have to be brought forward by an entrepreneur, and if there is an opportunity for an entrepreneur to have a look at that and make some money on it, I would certainly encourage it. It was something that I was very impressed by.
Thanks to the Minister for that answer. I understand that the Manufacturing Strategy isn't to conduct the business, but to assist the businesses that are going into manufacturing or expanding it. It is my understanding from discussion in this House last fall about the Manufacturing Strategy that there would be no money attached to it. Is that still the case?
Currently, there is no new money attached to this strategy.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It was my understanding from that same discussion that money for enhancing manufacturing would come from the existing SEED fund, and I note that the value of the fund is not budgeted to increase in the next fiscal year. I guess I am wondering how this strategy will be implemented. Mahsi.
As I have said, we have shared it with committee. The Member has an opportunity to access that, I believe, through committee, to have a look it. We have worked on this thing closely with northern manufacturers, and the proposed actions that we have in there, as I have said, have a positive response. We will continue to work with the manufacturers' association, committee, and all Members of this House on trying to figure it out; we are already the leader of manufacturers in the three territories, but how do we make it even better? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
