David Ramsay

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will make the commitment. We need to get in front of committee to have a discussion about next steps, where we’re going and what is going on, and I look forward to the discussion, ensuring much more information in the days ahead with committee members on the regulation of oil and gas in the Northwest Territories post-devolution. Thank you.

I do, Mr. Chairman, thank you.

I’ve been the Minister of Justice for four months. That’s something that goes before my starting in this position as Minister of Justice. That’s something that I certainly can find out for the Member and I will get that information to her.

Yes, Madam Chair, absolutely. I made that commitment earlier to Member Bromley and that is something that we certainly look forward to, getting in a room with committee and Regular Members and addressing every one of the concerns that they have as we move forward. Thank you.

The agricultural dollars that we do have, again, flow into the regions, and our goal is to work with local producers at the regional level. I know the Member has had a great deal of success in the Sahtu, especially in Norman Wells with the potatoes and chickens, and I understand there’s a small-scale chicken operation in Deline and that’s pretty exciting as well. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, that is a good recommendation by the Member and it is certainly something that I can discuss with the Minister of ENR, Minister Miltenberger. We can have a discussion about that. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I look forward to the Member’s questions at a later date. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, there has been no discussion about the possibility of a tax. They will fund this. It’s a funded initiative. Again, it came as a result of the Economic Opportunities Strategy. Thank you.

Again, I would say yes, there’s a chance that that could happen. Again, we have to be creative. We have to be looking at any way and means to increase the safety of our communities across the Northwest Territories, and the Member brings up a good suggestion. We are doing everything we can by working with the RCMP to ensure that our communities are safe. We’ve got policing plans in place today. We’ve got opportunities, as I mentioned, in communities like Tsiigehtchic, and perhaps Gameti and Wrigley, on getting officers to overnight in those communities. We’re looking at safe houses. We’re...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’ll go to Deputy Minister Vician for some detail on Mr. Bromley’s questions, but I just wanted to assure Mr. Bromley and Members that at the soonest opportunity we’ll get to committee. We’ll have that discussion at committee so committee can ask the questions that they want to ask once this rolls out. It’s not our objective to be hiding anything. We want to get in front of committee as soon as possible.