Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a code of conduct for employees respecting conflict of interest. We also have an oath of secrecy for employees. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this evening the francophone population of the Northwest Territories will honour their own with the first Francophone Entrepreneurial Awards. These awards will not only identify outstanding francophone businesses, but will highlight the importance of French entrepreneurs in developing the economy of the Northwest Territories.

French entrepreneurs have been active in the North for over 300 years. It is good to see that their efforts are being acknowledged. The event will be held here in the Great Hall of the Legislative Assembly and hosted by Counseil de developpement economique des...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we investigate these types of complaints or businesses, we use spirit and intent. The whole spirit and intent of the Business Incentive Policy is to provide for northern preference. Certainly we would investigate and our normal practice is if they don’t meet the criteria, then they wouldn’t be eligible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We actually have people right on the ground that can go and investigate the business to make sure that there are products that are being sold, that they are sold here from an establishment in the Northwest Territories. As well, we do a check on the individual’s involvement in the business. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize an extraordinary constituent. In the past, she has received the Queen’s Jubilee Commemorative Medal for her tireless work on breast cancer awareness and health. I am speaking about Ruby Trudel, who is still very active on community issues.

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In March 2008 she attended a homelessness forum where various representatives expressed their difficulty in keeping up with increased costs, including food, which were eroding their grant funding. In her desire to help, she focused on providing food for the needy. She...

As part of our planning, there’s been some considerable research done into the Biomass Strategy and part of that is looking at what would entail having a feasible and sustainable industry. That information is available to all communities.

This is an area that government would really like to see developed. We would like to see pilot projects established, particularly in the area of wood pellets. But I think that my colleague the Minister of ENR, as members of the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee, we would certainly like to see that developed. As I said, part of our problem has been the difficulty in accessing forest resources. With our business programs and the Biomass Strategy funding, I’m sure that this is a good way to go forward.

Certainly, Mr. Speaker, I’ll endeavour to do that. Certainly we don’t want employees reporting on things that we have no interest or no need to be involved with.

The code of conduct that I referred to outlines responsibilities of employees as to how to prevent themselves from getting into conflict of interest situations and the reporting requirements I am not aware of any reporting requirements for the examples that the Member used in her Member’s statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to recognize Mr. Jean Francois Pitre, owner of PIDO Productions and member of the board of directors for CDETNO and Sylvie Francoeur, director general for CDETNO. Welcome.

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