David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Member is correct; there is a program review being conducted by the program review office of the GNWT at the BDIC. I sat through almost two days of strategic planning with the BDIC, back a couple of months ago, and they are interested in seeing things move forward so that the suite of business services and programs to residents and businesses here in the NWT is streamlined. Thank you.

The department is currently exploring options. With the advance in technology there may be other solutions there. But certainly, we understand the importance of the Rat Pass receiver to the residents and operators using that road up in the Mackenzie Delta, and again, we are going to explore every available option to keep that service up and running. Thank you.

Yes, that includes $150,000 for the renewal of the NWT Energy Plan coming for the 17th Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a comment on the idea that the Member had in the area of mushrooms. If it is a bad fire year and there is an opportunity there to harvest mushrooms, that is a great business opportunity and could be a business opportunity for a number of communities around the Northwest Territories. If there are interested parties in those communities that want to come forward and apply for some of the funding that we have at ITI, we’d really like to see that happen. Back in 2011-2012 Arctic Morels Canada had gotten some funding from us. A small amount of funding, but I think...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Member’s perspective. When you look at the department, it’s varied what responsibilities we have. As Minister, it’s my job to try not to pay too much attention to one area and try to balance myself out and support all the efforts that the department has, whether it be in small business, tourism, the traditional economy, manufacturing and services or projects like the Mackenzie Gas Project, offshore developments.

These are going to be important to the Northwest Territories and the residents here in the Northwest Territories. Yes, market conditions will...

We’ve always been upfront with the funding, but I’m not sure if the Member was referencing something else previous to my tenure as Minister of ITI.

As soon as I get some clarification on where the confusion is, I will get that information to the Members of this House. I believe it is in relation to $400,000 for marketing under the Tourism 2015 plan, and we’ll get that ironed out for the Members.

Yes, it’s the Ministerial Energy and Coordinating Committee and Climate Change. Yes, climate change is included in there.

The $25,000 that’s there goes directly to helping to organize the event. The various artists that display their wares at the arts festival would access funding through the SEED program. Whether or not the Great Northern Arts Festival receives anything more than the $25,000, again that is something I would be willing to sit down with Members and discuss.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the Member for his questions. Over the past seven months, related to the MGP, I’ve been speaking directly with industry. I’ve been meeting with the APG, and we continue to support the APG. I believe, as a government, we have to remain optimistic. We have to remain positive. It’s a matter of when that project does go ahead. The key mandate of the office is to work with communities, to explain opportunities to communities, to explain the regulatory process and help build capacity.

When the Member was talking about the $500 million socio-economic funds that the...