The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Dent.

Thank you. I will now seek the concurrence of this committee for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism to bring in his witnesses. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, would you escort the witnesses. Mr. Minister, welcome to the committee. For the record, Mr. Minister, can you please introduce your witnesses.

Department Of Economic Development And Tourism

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have Mr. Roland Bailey the Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Tourism and also Mr. Jim Kennedy, who is the Director of Finance for Economic Development and Tourism. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. We are now into the general comments by Members of this committee. General comments for the Economic Development and Tourism budget? Mr. Antoine.

General Comments

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I noticed that in the past, when different parks were developed for the Fort Smith region, for example, Saamba Deh Falls Park, Twin Falls Gorge Park or Lady Evelyn Falls Park, they were in the capital estimates under "certain communities", but now they are listed under various Fort Smith. Does this mean that all these parks are controlled out of the Fort Smith office? Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, no, it does not mean that they are all controlled out of one area. There is consultation with the closest community but it is efficient to coordinate those activities by route and so there are some areas that are maintained by the central agency. Consultation is still done at the community level. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you. The Blackstone Park is close to Nahanni Butte. Over the years quite a substantial amount of money has been spent to develop this park. The community of Nahanni Butte has indicated to me that it has seen very little in terms of income from it. It is very close to the traditional area of the people who live there. A small community such as Nahanni Butte, with this opportunity being so close to its traditional area, should benefit from the opportunity as much as it can. I know that millions of dollars have been poured into this area. At the same time the Nahanni National Park, which is not in our jurisdiction, has also received millions of dollars. A lot of money has been poured into these areas. The community was totally neglected. I would like to suggest that the Department of Economic and Tourism concentrate more in the smaller communities, such as Nahanni Butte, Trout Lake, Jean Marie River and Liard. It seems to me that these smaller communities have been neglected. I would like to stress to the Minister and his departmental officials, if the priority could be shifted to focus on the smaller communities, especially if there is a large amount of development happening close to them. We should do whatever we can to make sure that the people and the community benefit from these developments. This would help the community in the long run. Thank you.

Thank you. In order to accommodate the interpretations provided to this House, I will pause momentarily at the end of each speaker's statement. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the point is taken. We will have somebody from parks go into Nahanni Butte and consult with the community and find out what the problem is. Thank you.

General comments? We will now go detail by detail. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, over the next few years with substantial improvement to the highway systems, we anticipate that a large number of tourists will be travelling to Yellowknife on the Mackenzie Highway. We do not have much in the way of signage. For example, we do not have any signage with regard to the Mackenzie River. Even though people cross it, I am not sure if they know it is the beginning of the Mackenzie River. I think there should be a sign along the river somewhere between Providence and the ferry landing that explains the history of how the river got its name, and what the aboriginal people call it. I think all this information should be provided for tourists.

The Mackenzie River is a scenic area and we do not have anywhere for tourists to stop to take a look around. I would like to have something like this put in place. Tourism still carries on during the winter crossing, garbage is left behind, and sewage is still being dumped. I have expressed this concern many times before and I am still not happy with the way things are carried out in that area. The Minister and his department should be looking a few years ahead, because we expect the highway to Rae-Edzo to be completed by 1997. With this I would think that the volume of traffic would increase and I think we should have more to offer to tourists travelling on our roads.

Thank you, Mr. Gargan. We are in the area of general comments. Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Minister, do you have any comments with regard to the general comments made by the honourable Member, Mr. Zoe?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, there are many disadvantaged areas in the Northwest Territories, as the Members of this House know. We have to be seen to be fair to all areas of the Northwest Territories. I sympathize with what Mr. Zoe is saying, but I would point out to him that it was just recently that the Department of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources came to an agreement through the N.W.T. Power Corporation with the Dogrib Nation with regard to building two hydro sites in the Dogrib area. I do not want this House to think that we have not been doing anything for the Dogrib Nation. I was at a meeting, as was Mr. Zoe not too long ago, where there was a question from a company that the Dogrib people are doing business with, that if that company was in partnership with the Dogrib Nation whether we would consider having them build a road in this area, and then leasing it back from them. They were given the green light to make a presentation to us, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this government has intervened to make sure that the Dogrib company got a helicopter contract with Renewable Resources. So I do not want anyone here to think that we are not doing anything in that particular area. We will assist all areas of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Chairman. I could point out that I know the Kitikmeot is having problems as well, but I could also say that the Deh Cho is having problems with its economy. I just want to say that I hear the Member's comments, I understand what he is talking about, but we must be seen as being fair to everybody and trying to bring everyone along at the same time and let them build on their natural interests and attributes in their particular area. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.