Bob Bromley

Mr. Speaker, I’ve heard that the Take A Kid Trapping program is drawing dollars from the Growing Forward Fund. That obviously would be inappropriate use of those dollars. Can the Minister confirm whether that is the situation? What is the justification for that if it is? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Obviously, the last time we came out with it there were very major issues left to resolve, and the Minister got lots of input on that and I know recognized that it was major. I hope that we’re not rushing into this just to meet that March 31st deadline. It would be good to get this done, but I would urge the Minister to make sure that we’ve got public support going forward. That’s one point I wanted to make.

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister. I know there are a number of groups and significant movers and shakers that have been involved in programs in the past. I am sure they are being consulted, so I’ll appreciate that information.

The Minister has written to tell me that the ITI regional offices in the North and South Slave and Deh Cho will take on responsibility for delivering the Small Foods Program, and the ITI agricultural consultant will do full implementation in the Beau-Del and support the Sahtu office.

As the new season soon gets underway, could the Minister commit to ensuring community...

That sounds like a wise course, they learned by doing it, and that’s what I want to see. So if the Minister had the resources, would he get going earlier? Sorry, I withdraw that, hypothetical. I’ll leave it at that, Madam Chair. Thank you.

I appreciate that response. It would be wonderful if committee could get information on that so we know what’s happening there and we don’t have to ask it again. Maybe we could even add it to the long list here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Here is a story familiar to communities all over the North. The government guy comes to town in his government truck loaded with his expensive equipment and know-how. He’s there to help. He asks directions, drives to the site and gets to work. Locals watch curiously as another government project takes shape. Days pass and stuff happens until, duty done, the government guy loads up and is gone. Who was that masked man?

From what I hear, that’s a pretty good description of the ITI delivery model for the Small Scale Foods Program under the Growing Forward Agreement. The ITI...

Thank you. Obviously, the Minister has a different time frame in mind than I do, but I’m not going to go there. Has this work been done internally or is it through contract work, the feasibility study? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister’s comments. I’d say that’s being a responsible partner, being willing to discuss that idea. There are a number of strategies out there, as the Minister knows, that are very successful and others that are not. We’d prefer to be in the former category. We know this strategy needs to be not only an action plan for integrated cross-government action to reduce the alarming poverty and growing inequity in NWT society. It also needs to fully involve Aboriginal government partners and the business community. I know the Minister has a particular interest there. The need to raise...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are directed to the Minister for the social envelope committee, Mr. Abernethy. Late last year a draft Anti-Poverty Strategy was released. There has been review and comment on that document from organizations, and I understand public feedback was formally collected through a survey, some focus groups and even street interviews. Could the Minister update us on the current status of the Anti-Poverty Strategy, and when we can expect to see a new draft and when the completed strategy will be coming to this House?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just a comment. I found in these sorts of things that local businesses are the ones that are the real workhorses in this area of social responsibility. Keeping all departments coordinated in the development of the strategy has been a major challenge.

Will the Minister build in the creation of a funded secretariat to introduce the strategy, guide its integration into our programming, and do the evaluations we’ll need for continued improvement, working with our partners, of course?