Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are at a time that the Northwest Territories needs leadership; leadership that is ready to make tough choices...

---Applause

...and represents all the people, that looks at the big picture.

Mr. Speaker, I know that much of what has been discussed was about my conduct, both personal and professional. I have been told, quite some time ago, that it would happen to me too. I remember sitting in a Minister’s office many years ago when that was said to me. I left there and I thought, what are you talking about, that that would happen to me too? As I questioned him, he...

The first fundamental program we have in place for families in need would be through our Income Security Program. That food basket is looked at and reviewed by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment throughout the year. I don’t have the timing of exactly when that next review and adjustments will happen, but that budget is adjusted, they do review on the cost of living of our communities and adjust on that basis.

For the commercial subsidy piece and how that goes out, as I’ve committed, the Minister of Finance and FMBS will respond to the Member on that issue.

I wouldn’t want to put words in the Finance Minister’s mouth on this matter, but my understanding as we work through this, as the Member has stated, that a commercial subsidy is being reviewed. They are prepared to go to committee on what structure they’ll put in place to see how that would be passed on to try to ensure it would be passed on to the people who live in our communities through that structure. I don’t have a timeline. I will have the Minister of Finance prepare a response for the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in this Assembly we came together as Members to establish our vision, goals, and priorities. Members agreed we would not simply work for the status quo. Rather we would work collaboratively to achieve real progress for the Territory. Since then our government has used the vision and goals and priorities of the 16th Assembly to formulate our plans and actions.

Unlike the typical stovepipe approach to the way we worked in the past, Strategic Initiatives Committees have been formed to direct investments into the priority areas identified by Members. These committees...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The area of the economic crisis the country has been caught in, we have been affected by a global economic climate and we have been involved for quite some time in trying to do our own stimulus. That is through advancement of the Building Canada Plan with the federal government as well as increasing our own contributions towards the capital side of it. I have had a number of regional meetings with regional aboriginal leadership on a number of factors. There has been ongoing work that we are doing through our budgeting process that would see still a substantial amount of...

Mr. Speaker, one thing we have to realize is that this opportunity fund is not grant money. It is money that has to be paid back to the federal government, so due diligence on any proposal will have to be done. The Minister is working on a package. He will be coming forward with a package. Let’s be clear. In using this one company in talking about it, being it is from southern Canada, Denendeh Helicopters, Deh Cho Regional Helicopters, Sahtu Helicopters, Gwich’in Helicopters, Highland Helicopters, Tli Cho Helicopters, Colville Lake, Fort Good Hope, Wrigley, Deline, Tli Cho Air, Lutselk’e Air...

Mr. Speaker, the fact that there are quite a number of programs that are already being delivered by the Government of the Northwest Territories through a business development investment corporation that lends money to companies for $2 million and under. The Opportunities Fund that has been in existence for quite a number of years looked at $2 million and over. In fact, the Minister of ITI is looking and has, in fact, brought a paper forward to revise that policy. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, one thing we have to realize is that this opportunity fund is not grant money. It is money that has to be paid back to the federal government, so due diligence on any proposal will have to be done. The Minister is working on a package. He will be coming forward with a package. Let’s be clear. In using this one company in talking about it, being it is from southern Canada, Denendeh Helicopters, Deh Cho Regional Helicopters, Sahtu Helicopters, Gwich’in Helicopters, Highland Helicopters, Tli Cho Helicopters, Colville Lake, Fort Good Hope, Wrigley, Deline, Tli Cho Air, Lutselk’e Air...

Mr. Speaker, the fact that there are quite a number of programs that are already being delivered by the Government of the Northwest Territories through a business development investment corporation that lends money to companies for $2 million and under. The Opportunities Fund that has been in existence for quite a number of years looked at $2 million and over. In fact, the Minister of ITI is looking and has, in fact, brought a paper forward to revise that policy. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of ITI is working around that policy development. We will be bringing it forward for review as they put some parameters around it. The discussion as the Member has raised, the area of the loan that has been discussed out there in the public now, in fact, has quite a number of partners and in fact quite a number of regions, groups and development corporations in the Northwest Territories that do provide corporate taxes to the Government of the Northwest Territories that employs quite a number of people that provide payroll tax and personal income tax to the revenues of...