Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a long-time friend and colleague, Donald Yukon. We went to high school together. Also a McLeod that my brother’s already beat me to the punch and recognized her. Welcome to the gallery.

In a Territory like ours where we have a large expanse and we have few people, I think we have to take advantage of technologies if we’re going to be able to reduce the cost of living and to create meaningful employment. We’re very prepared to do that as part of our meeting in holding a workshop with the Nunakput people. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member for Nunakput raises a very good point. I know that I had the opportunity to meet with Senator Eggleton. We talked about how to deal with adding poverty and he had three recommendations. He said to deal with it, you had to have an anti-poverty strategy. You had to create jobs. For people that are disabled, he would have some sort of guaranteed income.

In my view, the best way to deal with anti-poverty is to create jobs. I think that, as a government, we are well on our way to creating jobs. We have to work in partnership with industry and also other levels of...

I guess it would depend on whether we’re talking for all the parks in the Northwest Territories or are we just talking about the three that are between Enterprise and the border. If we are talking about the three, then it would be a matter of paying the wages of probably about three or four people and also some contractors. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is Small Business Week, an opportunity to recognize and celebrate entrepreneurs and their businesses across the Northwest Territories. I would also like to recognize Co-op Week and the 16 cooperatives that serve residents in the Northwest Territories.

Small businesses play a vital role in the economy of our communities and our Territory. They provide products, services, knowledge and skills that are the foundation of sustainable local economies and enhance our quality of life. Mr. Speaker, spend some time in any of our communities and you will find the heart of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have had the good fortune of knowing Tony Whitford for many years from back in the ‘60s in Fort Smith. I have a number of stories but I was going to save most of them for tonight at the dinner.

I guess some of the most memorable moments with Tony was when he first got elected as Minister. He came and stole my secretary at that time. During the height of the anti-trapping campaign by the European Union, the Legislative Assembly assembled a team of MLAs to go to the European Union to counter this proposed boycott and I had the good fortune to travel with Tony Whitford...

Thank you. It has been a challenge in trying to change, to review our Diamond Policy for a number of reasons. One is we’re working with the express direction that we should no longer provide loan guarantees. So our whole objective with the review of our Diamond Policy is to make a system in place that makes it more feasible for manufacturers to operate so they have a better opportunity to have a sustainable business.

As well, making these changes, we want to find a way to keep the existing cutters and polishers that are in town to continue to be able to find full and meaningful employment. As...

Thank you. We do have the opportunity, as well, to look at the thermal rates, whether Norman Wells could be included as part of the thermal rate communities, that’s another option. But as far as the federal government and their one-third ownership of the Norman Wells production, that’s something that we’ll take under advisement. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the agreements that are in place require us to monitor it. It is tied to the price of heating oil. We monitor it on that basis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Mr. Chris Hunt, entrepreneur around town. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.