Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Right now we primarily evaluate it or based on the… As we said, we spent a dollar, we get the industry to spend… It’s resulted in the industry spending $2.7. We’ve only had this program going for two years, so it’s too early for it to result in having a brand new mine developed. It is bringing in money for exploration which is the backbone of mining. The recipients have to provide the reports and in our prospectors grub stake, two prospectors have sold projects to junior mining companies. That will certainly be another indicator of success. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The money was collected from the oil and gas industry that required to put the money into this Environmental Studies Research Fund, and normally, it would… There was a going concern there would be additional funding going into the revolving or research fund, but the fact that there’s no activity in the oil and gas sector, so there’s no industry putting any money into it. The money that had 974… I’ll ask through you, Mr. Chair… I’ll ask Ms. Archibald to provide further detail. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We contribute $100,000 and it pays to help with offices and salaries and some office supplies. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It’s one body not the only body that will give us advice. We’ll go out for a broad range of input so I don’t see it as only relying on one body. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, I would, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Like we want to do, we are trying to anticipate and work with the communities to help build capacity, so when the project goes ahead they’ll be ready and we’ll be ready, and it would work in the best interests if the communities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The business of government continues. Other positions are being moved into those offices, and the government will continue to utilize that space. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As the Member may or may not know, through our socio-economic agreements, diamond mines could make up to ten per cent of their diamond rough production available for secondary manufacturing. This is a sector that we have been trying to make it a going concern and to make it sustainable. We are still of that view. We believe that, as the production of diamonds increases in the Northwest Territories, that we will continue to do so. We will continue to work to develop the secondary diamond industry so that we can increase the value added to here in the Northwest Territories...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We’ll review the terms of reference of the Mineral Industry Advisory Board and see if it falls within the parameters, but we’re always prepared to look at all boards. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We cannot deny that we sit in the down cycle of the commodity markets right now. This is something we have seen before. Commodity markets rise, they fall, they recover. It’s a natural flow of the markets. As we sit in this downturn, our government is hard at work ensuring our jurisdiction will be ready to capitalize on the next peak in commodities. ITI has started work reviewing the Oil and Gas Operations Act and the Petroleum Resources Act, regulations pursuant to those acts, and associated policies. Policy intent discussion papers are being developed which will introduce potential changes...