Bob Bromley

These measures threaten our ability to protect our northern environment. They gut the board that this government will rely upon for our management advice following full devolution. All this without a public word of protest or concern from territorial leaders.

How long will devolution negotiations muzzle this government, and what on earth is it going to take before the government finally speaks up on behalf of the citizens and their land? I will have questions for the Premier.

Thanks again for that information. I guess I would at least ask that the Minister check in with Justice and Health and Social Services, and make sure they’re up and running right away.

There’s been a great concern about WSCC rates. Again, I don’t have the terminology; the Minister will know what I’m talking about. There are significant increases for our businesses and that’s a big concern. I’m wondering, what can we do about that. What is the Minister doing about that?

I have collected some information. I realize WSCC has spent a lot of money on legal fees and so on. I know with the Giant thing...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a very brief comment. If the Minister proposes to put non-renewable resource revenue into the Heritage Fund, I would support that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister seems to think that the environmentally sustainable aspects and social responsibility can just happen without being designed. I say that’s baloney. Ploughing forward with blinders on is not going to serve us. That’s an old method that’s been disproven. We need a comprehensive holistic approach here.

So I ask, how will the Minister move to correct these oversights, and if he doesn’t, why bother spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on this exercise when we’re coming up with more of the same? Mahsi.

The strategy discussion paper lists the reference materials that will be the basis of analysis; that’s industry profiles, regional economic profiles and a literature review of economic strategies. But where’s the social analysis and the environmental studies such as the need to control growth in greenhouse gasses, building a carbon-neutral economy?

Does the Minister really believe that the socially responsible and environmentally sustainable aspects of an Economic Development Strategy can happen without specific and thoughtful preparation and design in that work? Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, the 17th Legislative Assembly envisioned promotion of strong individuals, families and communities by developing a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable Economic Development Strategy. I look at the Economic Opportunities Strategy approach and wonder how we could possibly have left behind the people, families, social responsibilities and environment.

The strategy discussion paper is a partnership of the industry department, NWT Chamber of Commerce, Northern Aboriginal Business Association and the NWT Housing Corporation. Blatantly missing is the social and...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I find myself well aligned with Mr. Dolynny’s comments. The Minister says we’ve been fiscally responsible. I’m going on my sixth year and it seems like every year we find ourselves more in debt despite increasing the debt and taking into account the redefinition of debt. We’ve made some really unfathomable decisions on big, costly infrastructure projects that really don’t have an economic return. We seem bent on continuing that sort of bizarre decision-making.

I’m just going to go through the budget address by way of helping to focus my comments, if that’s helpful at all...

Thanks for the Minister’s comments. I don’t disagree with much of that, but a quick look at the parameters of the discussion, the strengths will be examined. That’s mines, forests, airports, and connections and the like. No people there. The weaknesses are studied. That’s regulatory processes, roads, access to land. No human capacity there either. There are opportunities; for example, interest from foreign investors and, finally, threats…(inaudible)…threats to the business environment.

Again, where’s the environment, where are the people and where are the cost priorities? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. In my statement earlier today, I know the 17th Assembly Caucus clearly stated an emphasis on strong individuals, families and communities, and developing a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable Economic Development Strategy.

We know there are big challenges to achieve this and that expertise in all these areas is, obviously, required. How did the Minister set out to ensure the Economic Development Strategy meets the social and environment Caucus priorities, when the discussion...

I appreciate the Minister’s commitment there. Reports I have from visits to these local offices say there are no prominent postings of information on legal limits to interest rates and fees. It’s all in the fine print when it comes to signing the contract.

Will the Minister ensure work with the firms to produce and publicize this information, and prominently post posters and pamphlets for display at loan offices?