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.