Mr. Chairman, because of the long-term establishment of the Great Slave Lake fishery, and because a subsidy has existed for some time, and the dependence of a number of fishermen, the Government of the Northwest Territories has always put the highest priority to maintaining that established fishery in Great Slave Lake.

Okay, business development, Mr. Koe.

Why, then, earlier this spring before the summer fisheries started were so many of the Great Slave Lake fishermen concerned about the types of prices they were receiving for their catch? Many of the B class fishermen claimed that every time they went out they lost money, and they had to put up a lot of collateral, a lot of their own money to purchase new boats or new equipment, and they kept losing money. Why do they fish? I know that many of them are long- term residents, that is their whole livelihood, their whole life, and they are probably the hardest working people in terms of the type of industry they are in and, yet, we do not seem to give them direct support that, say, the turbot fisherman, or the char fishermen, get.

Mahsi. Madam Premier.

Mr. Chairman, I know over the years the Great Slave Lake fisheries development, as each year goes by, has a great deal of difficulty in keeping up with their net gain on a continuation of the fisheries. This year, there was $700,000 in contributions, and this has been done annually, plus there has been capital assistance, and what is being maintained is that we are not keeping up. However, when I say the highest priority because the fishery was established, contributions have increased, and assistance has increased, however, the issue is it is very difficult for them to keep up and still be competitive with and through the Fresh Fish Marketing Corporation. There is still a problem here, there are continued meetings with the fishermen, and the department intends to continue to try to find ways and means where they can further be supported.

So it has been established for a long time, it is fisheries that have the longest ongoing contribution support on a yearly basis. Thank you.

Thank you. Business development, Member for Inuvik.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The fishermen, for many years, have raised the concern about the operations of the Fresh Water Fish Marketing Corporation and the prices that they receive from the corporation. Some work or investigations were to be done on assisting the fishermen to look for new markets, or other ways of marketing their fish. What has been done in terms of those investigations?

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Mr. Chairman, there is a report that has been finalized, but in that report, there was not satisfaction that the work was not complete, so there is more work going on to try to reconcile that particular problem which I think that anyone who has been here, as far back as I can remember, has been struggling with this problem. The department can provide the Member with the work up to date, and they can assure you, that, certainly the fishermen are very actively pursuing, on a couple of fronts how they can gain a little more freedom in seeking their own market, and perhaps having a higher rate of return on their product.

Qujannamiik. Business development, Mr. Koe.

I would appreciate receiving that report. In terms of renewable resource strategy and our commercial renewable resource activities mention was made of several projects that are under way. It is an area that many of our people, uneducated people, who work with their hands and heads in terms of renewable resource products, depend on these resources.

There are more and, I guess, different types of strategies can be used to help these people develop and commercialize what they do best. I note in the changes to the operational plans for the department, there have been cuts, reductions in natural resources, deductions in the small tools contributions, and you have deleted the coordinator of Country Foods Position. All these, I assume, were there to enhance the development of commercial renewable resources. My question or concern is what strategy is being used by the department in the development of commercial renewable resource activities?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Chairman, that position was a headquarters position, and the Department of Economic Development has devolved much of that responsibility to the various regions. The regions differ and vary in the stage of development of renewable resource production, and thoughts on marketing areas. There has not been anything taken away. It was an attempt to enhance the regional operations.

Qujannamiik. Business development, Mr. Koe.

I do not assume a position was created in each region, or are there positions in each region to take over this one headquarters position?

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Mr. Chairman, in most regions these positions do exist, but not in all regions, and I just do not have that particular area. For example, in the Baffin there are extra resources put into that region in terms of the areas of fisheries development.

Thank you. Business development, total O and M of $12.724 million. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to make a couple of comments, and I may, in fact, pose a number of questions. I want to make a couple of comments first.

I wanted, first of all, to deal with the matter of renewable resources. I, Mr. Chairman, and to the Government Leader, I have a bit of concern about the perception that we are creating a situation in the Northwest Territories where either groups or individuals are, in fact, developing monopolies on northern food products.

Now, maybe this is an incorrect perception, but I think we are asked to develop what we might say are our special northern food products. We need an ability for as many of the people that can have access to northern foods to be able to access them. Now, I can say to you that each individual who wants to get involved in developing different types of products or specialized foods cannot do that without having access to the product. I would encourage our government to ensure, in fact I am going to probably be looking at a way where we do not have situation where there are monopoly circumstances that might exist, and if it needs to be legislated. I think that is what you are going to have to do.

I am not opposed to the idea of preferential treatments, however, I think that in circumstances and where it is possible, access to northern products has to be made available to as wide a range of people as we can. Firstly, those that want to be able to access the products have the capacity to do it, and those that we are selling it to, also have the ability to access those products.

The one other point I wanted to make, Mr. Chairman, is to the Government Leader. It is not for me to judge the character, or the ability of the Ministers to deal with the issues, that is not the issue I want to raise. I do want to raise a matter of fairness in the process of allowing individuals or companies to access dollars in the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. Particularly, as it relates to business development funding. I do not underestimate that there is fair consideration for all proposals, but I do want to try to encourage our government to get away from this idea of having the whole process of providing financial assistance whether or not it is in loans, contributions, or grants. Getting out of the political arena -- I say this because the most publicized loan authorization or financial proposal to date -- is one that has come out of Hay River, the Jane Groenewegen situation. I am not going to question how that certain situation was dealt with, but I would ask that our government deal with this issue, and try to resolve it one way, or the other. If there is a need to improve the proposal that has been made, then deal with that issue. I am just concerned. I do not for one minute suggest that there is no political consideration for proposals. I would be naive to make the suggestion that political circumstances may arise. I do say that in the case of business development in the north, that we, as a government, have to try to ensure the least amount of political interference, as possible. I do not question that judgement of our Ministers, it is their business and responsibility to make the decisions that are necessary. It does not make any sense for us to be encouraging northern business development, if the proposals are going to be a matter of political debate. I just raise that to make sure in the future that you try to deal with these issues. I know that you have probably have been more successful in dealing with this issue, and keeping most other proposals out of the political arena, but I just ask that you try to address this particular matter. I assume that the Minister is trying to address it himself, and trying to resolve it fairly and reasonably. It is not a matter within my constituency, but it is a matter that has been raised publicly, and I would ask the Government Leader, and the Minister, to try to resolve this issue, one way, or the other. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The time is 12:30 p.m. We will recess for lunch, and there is a meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance at 12:30. We will break for lunch until 1:30. I would like to thank the witnesses for this morning. We will meet back here at 1:30. Thank you.

---LUNCH BREAK

Before we took time out for lunch, we were in the business development of Economic Development and Tourism. Madam Premier was in the process of responding to the honourable Mr. Nerysoo. Madam Premier.

Mr. Chairman, I believe that the honourable Member was placing a situation before us that he felt should be looked at. I believe that it relates somewhat to the perception that, perhaps, a Business Development

Corporation probably is not an arms length process. I do not believe that it had a requirement for an answer, but more of a statement that we should take into account.

Thank you. Business development. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Regarding the Economic Development and Tourism budget, I have seen some increases in the budget, but I have often thought, and my constituents have thought about the same thing, so I wanted to bring it up in this Session.

Hunters that hunt for food can utilize the food and they do not get any assistance. Trying to make it through carving, and I think in most of the communities in my constituency do try and make money out of carving, yet, there are a lot of people who do not carve, and they try and get welfare from Social Services. I do not want any of these programs to be cut.

This could greatly help the hunters, if they could start selling their harvest. For that reason, I would like to see more assistance given to the hunters who do not hold any jobs. It is very hard to try and earn a living. If we could start selling our harvest, this would help the hunters.

I have often thought about this, and I wanted to bring this issue, as to how we can, we have to try and have a study. Ever since I became a M.L.A. I have often thought of how I can help them. They have also been talking to me about how I can help my constituents. I have told them that I could try and help them, and try and give them more assistance, more financial assistance, especially to the hunters. If they could start selling their harvest, we have to see if we can get a feasibility study, and we have been told so many times, that we have to try live on our own. I have seen some reports, and we have often discussed those reports. We have often been told that we have to try and start living on our own, and I would be in support if we can start selling the harvest that the hunters obtain. It would greatly help them economically.

This is the comments that I wanted to make to the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.