David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, be read for the second time.

This bill amends the Revolving Funds Act to increase the Fur Marketing Service Revolving Fund.

We have had discussions with FFMC as recently as earlier this year, and we see the relationship with that organization as being the key to getting a new fish processing facility into Hay River. We believe that working with them, there has been a changing of heart with the fishermen in Hay River. They’ve wanted in, they’ve wanted out, they’re back in. We do believe that there is some utility in us maintaining that relationship with that organization.

But, again, I think that’s good on the export side, but we’ve got a domestic market here in the Northwest Territories that, again, I think we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the past 20 years, the amount of fish taken from Great Slave Lake would amount to about 2.2 million pounds. In the last number of years… I think the Member asked for last year, the total exported from the NWT in thousands of pounds was 1,038, so that would be 103,000 pounds.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, moved into Committee of the Whole for today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

It’s been a difficult task because of fuel prices and the price of fuel for fisherman to get out on the lake. Also, with the increase of the Canadian dollar against the American dollar, it’s had a big impact on what prices are paid for that fish. But, again, I’ll point out the fact that we do have a support to fishermen program here in the Northwest Territories. It’s $225,000. There’s a Fish Harvesters Support Program, a Commercial Fish Harvesters Support Program, Fish Harvesters Expansion Program, a Fish Harvesters New Entrance Support Program, and also some core funding that we’ve also...

On an annual basis, we have a program that supports fishers here in the NWT. It amounts to about $225,000 a year, broken down into a number of program initiatives. But this summer I appeared before a parliamentary committee on fisheries, and basically spelled out to them the importance of the fishery on Great Slave Lake here in the Northwest Territories. I gave them some historical perspective on the fishery, where we wanted to see it go and how important it was for us to reinvigorate the fishery on Great Slave Lake.

Through the work of the Economic Opportunities Strategy that we’ve just tabled...

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to update the House on the progress being made to advance the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project. This winter we plan to begin constructing the final link between the NWT highway system and the Arctic Coast community of Tuktoyaktuk. This all-weather highway will be constructed in one of Canada’s most challenging environments.

The Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway is a legacy project of this government that will help reduce the high cost of living in our most northerly region and will assist in opening up new economic development and tourism opportunities for residents...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the Member for bringing the concerns to the House. Last year and again earlier this year, we were looking at harmonizing our regulations with other jurisdictions, especially in Western Canada. The Member had brought up the issue of tri-drive vehicles. We’ve got a two-year pilot project that’s underway, including a company from Hay River that’s taking part in that exercise. We also are looking at the Class 3 driver’s licence and allowing people with a Class 5 licence to tow or drive a commercial vehicle that’s towing a trailer up to 4,500 kilograms. So we...