David Ramsay

Earlier I spoke of the close to $1 million that goes out between ITI and ECE in support of artists around the Northwest Territories. We do support festivals. We support our artists. I also should mention BDIC and Northern Canada Trading. I think that’s a component of the BDIC that I believe currently is underutilized and something I’d like to see have more far-reaching impact. I think we as a government should take more of an active role in promoting our own artists and getting goods produced locally here in the Northwest Territories, into a storefront somewhere to be sold to the travelling...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. NWT artisans and filmmakers make a positive economic and cultural impact on our territory and today I would like to highlight some initiatives to support and grow the arts, crafts and film sectors.

Through the office of the film commissioner, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has been working closely with the NWT film industry over the past year. Last year the GNWT met with film and media arts representatives for a review of the territorial film industry. They identified the need for a fully interactive and information rich website to promote filming and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Agriculture Products Marketing Council 2011-12 Annual Report.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Business Incentive Policy is a policy of the Government of the Northwest Territories. If Members of this House want to revisit the Business Incentive Policy, is there a loophole here that allowed a southern company to get a contract in Inuvik? If that is the case, then if Members of this House want to have another look at the Business Incentive Policy, it is under the purview of this Assembly to do that.

I understand the Member’s concerns. I want to let him know and other Members know that we are willing to work with Members to try to shore up the policy so that situations like...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for that question. I’m glad to have an opportunity to talk about the Business Incentive Policy. That is a policy of the GNWT. We certainly have that under our mandate of ITI, but when it comes to evaluating RFPs, it is left up to each department to oversee the implementation of the Business Incentive Policy. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Fishermen’s Federation is still involved with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. They voted back in December of 2010 to remain a part of that organization. That organization is in fact going through a bit of turmoil. Just recently both Saskatchewan and northern Ontario have pulled out of FFMC and 90 percent of the total fish being run through FFMC now comes from Manitoba. There have also been some issues with the governance of the FFMC. So that’s where currently the NWT Fishermen’s Federation is marketing their fish.

As to the future here in the Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We currently have a funding program to assist commercial fishermen in the Northwest Territories at $225,000 a year. Thank you.

As I outlined to the Member earlier, the development of the three initiatives is going to be carried out in this fiscal year 2012-13. It includes an NWT artist database and website. Certainly, when that is wrapped up, we can look at linking it to NWT Tourism site.

In response to the Member’s earlier questions, what we’re doing today, we have NWT community workshops where we’ve delivered programming information sessions in 27 communities around the Northwest Territories. We’ve also provided training to our regional staff. We have arts promotion, a brochure of a series that was developed to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll get that information for the Member but I think most importantly is what we’re doing going forward. I spoke earlier today about our support for diversifying the economy here in the Northwest Territories, and there are three major initiatives that we hope to carry out in 2012-13. That’s an NWT artist database and website, NWT Arts Branding Logo Program and Arts Marketing Tactical Plan. These will be conducted here in the next year and, certainly, I will look into whether we can link sites from around the Northwest Territories to the NWT Tourism site. That is an idea...

That certainly would be a possibility, and I believe as the Minister responsible for economic development here in the Northwest Territories, it’s important that we’re not duplicating our efforts, that it’s seamless, that we’re getting capital into the hands of those folks who can do something with it, that can grow our economy, especially out in the regions where we are seeing high unemployment and we need those types of investments in the regions that will grow the economy here in the Northwest Territories. I certainly look forward to the discussions as the terms of reference are established...