Julie Green

What I heard is that land will not be available in some areas until all land claims are settled. I’m wondering how we can sustain the growth of the agriculture sector if there is going to be no additional land available for the production of food.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also wanted to acknowledge Nancy Vail, a tireless volunteer in our community working on a number of different files to improve our lives. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the government has sounded the alarm about the impact of weakened markets for non-renewable resource products and the need to broaden the base of our economy. The Commissioner's Opening Address referred to the need for strategic investment, diversification, and modernization of the economy in its growth sectors. I agree. The growth of sectors outside of non-renewable resources is impressive. Tourism contributes over $100 million and has good potential in every region. The contributions of the forestry, fishing, and agriculture sectors, while small, have...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to make one more reply to Mr. Nakimayak. The mineral staking and the negotiation of impact and benefit agreements is at the other end of the spectrum in mining development: It's the front end. What we're talking about here is the back end. When the ore is done and the mine is closed, we're talking about what happens next, so there's no reason that this policy would stand in the way of anyone staking a claim, or in fact developing a mine if the claim was proven to be beneficial. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I too heartily support this motion. This is a growing area of our economy and one which may be more sustainable than some of the non-renewable resource development that we've had historically. I heartily support this attempt at diversification and hope that it will have success in this House. Thank you.

Thank to the Minister for that clarification. My question is: could we save on the building costs by repurposing Stanton Territorial Hospital, for example, as a long-term care facility for elders?

Thank you for that commitment, Mr. Minister. My final question for the Minister is how decisions will be made about who gets access to the land for growing.

I am still a little unclear. If I wanted to begin…

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As I said in my statement today, agriculture has become a significant growth sector in the NWT economy in the last few years. It also has the added benefit of reducing food cost by substituting imported food. More growth is possible, but one of the limiting factors is the availability of the land. My question for the Minister of Lands is what plans the government has to make more land available in the NWT for agriculture and food production. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. As we turn to considering our economic supports and infrastructure spending, let's target our money where it will do the most good, producing the most durable jobs for dollars spent, and producing the most social good with the least environmental harm. I will have questions for the Minister of Lands. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.