Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask a couple of questions on policies of government. What is the policy for establishing such things as interpretive centres? Is it normally at the point of entry of tourists, or is it at the location of a community where tourists usually end up?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

The Member mentioned interpretive centres. Those could be in any community and they may be of any size, Mr. Chairman. The next level up from that would be a visitors' centre and those visitors' centres would be placed strategically at a place where a visitor may arrive in the NWT, such as Yellowknife, Rankin Inlet, Inuvik, Iqaluit, major destination points. Then from there they would move off into other communities and the idea would be some sort of networking between the communities in that particular region, and the visitors' centre; not only talking about what happens in that particular community but the benefits of going to other communities in that particular region. In the smaller communities there would be an interpretive centre for visitors' use while they are in that particular community.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Mr. Chairman, if I could ask again, what is the policy with regard to that particular item? You indicated the major communities as being the point of entry, but the fact is that that is not the case on highways. So I want to ask the honourable Member, what is the policy of establishing interpretive centres, or for that matter, visitors' centres?

Mr. Minister.

There is no formal policy, Mr. Chairman. It is based on the responses that we get from tourism associations, from communities; it is based on our own knowledge of the transportation networks in the NWT; it is based on need, the perceived need of communities; and just general consultation. There is no formal policy, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Nerysoo.

Could I then ask if the Minister could consider a policy that could clarify how this government could establish priorities for developing those kinds of centres; whether or not it is interpretive or visitors' centres; so it is clear to even the tourist associations how they deal with communities? With the greatest of respect, I do not think Inuvik would really take serious consideration of McPherson's needs for instance, just based on the fact that they are more interested in maintaining or retaining the tourists in their community. It would not make any sense for me economically for that tourist association to really worry about Fort McPherson or Arctic Red. I am asking you if you could establish clear guidelines or clear policies on how communities can access, or at least develop these kinds of centres.

Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, I understand the Member's concern. Yes, we will certainly consider a policy. I would point out to the Member that we have the same concerns; that if we are going to invest dollars, and these days the federal government, through the park's services has been investing with us in these particular visitors' centres so that we can get some efficiency and some economy -- we are very concerned at putting that kind of infrastructure into a community that is not going to share that large infrastructure with the communities in the regions. So, yes, we will look at a policy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Mr. Chairman, if I could make another point. I would hope that in dealing with matters related to the tourist industry that his department is not only going to look at the manners of efficiency and economies of scale of infrastructure, as opposed to efficiency of response to requests made by communities. I can say to you that McPherson and Arctic Red River are no better off now than we were when the highway was first opened in 1977. The infrastructure may have improved slightly but the economic activity or economic benefits are really not being received by those communities, and when I mentioned the point of entry, the point of entry is not Inuvik on the Dempster Highway, it is Fort McPherson. The first two communities are Arctic Red and Fort McPherson. So the first impressions of people on those highways may not come through Hay River or Fort Liard. The first impressions are going to be those services that are offered in those communities, so if they are not happy with the services there, they are certainly not going to leave the North with a very good impression.

Mr. Minister.

I would agree totally, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

Consideration Of Multi-Use Buildings In Times Of Recession

Again, I want to say that in affluent times it is easy to look at luxury items, what I would find as luxury items. In difficult times you have to look at a way of doing multi-use buildings, et cetera. One of the things, apart from what I saw in Iqaluit where they shared the space with the library, one of the things we said to Education was, you have to take a closer look at some co-ordination between people who look after cultural affairs, library services and schools. I wonder if any consideration is going to be given to that, about the need to try to amalgamate visitors' centres and information centres with other facilities. Let us use Arviat. In Arviat, the school that was built last year, or the visitors' centre that is currently being built, and the library that is now going to be built -- there has to be some cost savings, I would think. It has to click, it has to integrate, it has got to work, but I am wondering if in future that kind of thinking should not come into the picture.

Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, there has already been some discussion between Culture and Economic Development and Tourism, and also with Education, and I think there are some initiatives already under way with regard to libraries being attached to schools, because schools already require a library, and what has been suggested is that in as much as the school would have use of the library, there may be a separate entrance for members of the community to use the library as well, so, yes to both of Mr. Todd's questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Todd.

Yes, just another question. I think I know the answer, but I am going to ask it anyway. When they look at the development of these visitors' centres, which clearly, as far as I can see, are only an expansion -- it is almost like a department on its own. What is the percentage of northern content with respect to some of these visitors' centres that are being built? While I recognize there may be some limitations in our skill level in developing these things, particularly in the design for exhibitions, et cetera., I wonder what kind of northern content would be involved in this, because it is significant dollars, both in the past and certainly down the road. It almost seems to be taking on an entity of its own.

Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, it varies across the Northwest Territories with the different locations, but if you take all of the centres and put them together, 85 per cent of the money that it costs to build them or put the information together was spent in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Pudlat.