David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have some fantastic facilities in the Deh Cho and in the Member’s riding. We continue to support those efforts. I know the campground in Fort Providence was highlighted during last summer’s fire season and the bad fire that we had around Fort Providence and the service that the park provided. We have to continue to support the operators and the infrastructure that we have on the ground in the Member’s riding.

To my recollection, it’s just over $303 per day. That’s to house federal inmates. Our own inmates, the number may be a little bit different, but when we invoice the federal government for housing federal inmates it’s $303.08 a day.

Thank you. It’s quite possible that each of them is in a different scenario, and a care plan would be established for each one of those individuals. So, I could get that level of detail for the Member if he so wishes. Thank you.

Our belief is that, yes, it can be done safely. It can be done, and we’ve seen it done here in the Northwest Territories. I know the Member highlighted other jurisdictions in Canada that have seen great success, Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, in using horizontal fracking. We are moving forward with regulations around hydraulic fracturing and we will have the best regulatory response in Canada when it comes to hydraulic fracturing, because we believe it can be done safely and soundly here in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been assessments done of the oil potential in the Sahtu and, in fact, in the Northwest Territories. We continue to move forward with the development of an Oil and Gas Strategy for the Northwest Territories. We are also going to conduct some work on the corridor concept down the Mackenzie Valley, communication, energy, transportation corridor. Of course, we’ve had the Mackenzie Gas Project that currently is on the shelf but our hope is that at some point in time Mackenzie gas will see market and we will get it out of the Beaufort-Delta. We have to look at this...

My ears are a little bit plugged. I’m not feeling the best, but I thank the Member for repeating the question.

We will continue to work with the region through the Fort Simpson office and also in Hay River on opportunities to promote the Deh Cho Connection. I know MLA Mr. Menicoche has talked about this in efforts to support Highway No. 7 and the tourism route that is the Deh Cho Connection. It is a wonderful opportunity for people to not go back the same way and do a loop through the Northwest Territories. It’s important that it is marketed and it is promoted, and through NWT Tourism that...

The context is going to be on the special constables and the role that they play here in the Northwest Territories, many of which are now elderly. The committee is reviewing options to conduct oral interviews that will preserve the valuable stories that all of these individuals would have. We’re also examining the possibility of producing a travelling display that could reach every community and be available in schools across the Northwest Territories. This would allow the history of the RCMP to be shared across the Northwest Territories, and we’re also exploring the option of a dedicated...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, the RCMP has a long and historic significance to the Northwest Territories and to the people of the Northwest Territories. We have moved forward and I’m glad the Member is asking me these questions today. There is a need to preserve and share the extensive history of “G” Division here in the Northwest Territories. We’re currently working with a number of partners to develop a display and travelling educational pieces commemorating special constables and the seamstresses and interpreters and the guides that helped the RCMP officers survive here in the early...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Prices of fur did come off last year. As the auction was just held recently, I haven’t got the information back from the department on what prices fur was fetching at this auction, but I would be more than happy to provide the Member and other Members with an update as soon as I get that information.

That’s something I’ll have to go back to the department and ask them about. I’m not aware of any patents or copyrights on anything like that. That’s not to say that it may be worth something the department wants to look at, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.