This is page numbers 1229 - 1250 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 7th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was premier.

Topics

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It takes many kinds of people to make a successful government, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. We all know that Mr. Todd is a very creative, artistic and spiritual person. So, I would like to ask the Minister if he was able to take advantage of the opportunity to visit Santa Fe, New Mexico, where a huge exhibition and convention on North American art took place in the month of May.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I was fortunate enough to spend three or four days in Santa Fe during the opening of this major art symposium, partially sponsored by the department, the Northwest Company and a few other northern companies. Thank you.

Return To Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister, since the arts and crafts industry in the Northwest Territories goes through cycles -- they go up and down and it's very difficult sometimes to plan the business because of the uncertainty of this field -- if there was representation from throughout the territories that he was able to observe while he was there in order to get a feeling about the way this industry is going.

Supplementary To Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This launch of territorial art, both Dene and Inuit art, was co-sponsored by the department and the Northwest Company. I believe the launch cost somewhere in the neighbourhood of $590,000, of which we've contributed approximately $150,000, the balance being contributed by industry, et cetera. There was a cross section of northerners there. There were some performers, some artists and, of course, there was strong representation by the Northwest Company. We brought in, from across the USA, 24 major art buyers and dealers.

There was significant involvement with the North American Indian Art Museum and we had the New Mexico government involved. I was told by those who have far more experience than I do, that this presentation at the art gallery saw the largest turnout and participation they had had since the gallery opened a number of years ago.

Further Return To Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Since, as I pointed out in the beginning, our Minister is considered to be a creative individual and very perceptive, what did he learn about the future of this industry during his visit to Santa Fe?

Supplementary To Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess why I'm encouraged by what we're doing here, is first of all, it was a partnership arrangement between industry and government. The government's role was to provide some seed funding and to leave the thing alone, in reality to leave industry to develop the market and to renew the marketing of arts across the Northwest Territories.

The gentleman involved who reports directly to the president of the new Northwest Company, Mr. Dennis Hillman, feels confident that he can, with this launch and with some other aggressive marketing, move towards $5 million in additional sales, over and above what we currently have right now, as a start in the next two to three years.

I think the other thing that was important, which we haven't done very successfully over the years, is to market western Dene art. I think it is something that has been a weakness of the department. I was encouraged by the fact that in Santa Fe, the major arts centre for Indian art, particularly for Navaho and Apache people, there was considerable interest in Dene Art. Joanne Barnaby was in attendance with her people. I think the seed money has been well spent. The industry has committed significant dollars to this venture and the Northwest Company has appointed Mr. Hillman, who reports to the president and is making it a priority in terms of their marketing strategy in their network across Canada and North America.

We have put a monetary mechanism in place to determine what our return for investment will be in this important arts and crafts field. I've suggested to Mr. Hillman that we don't make this a one shot deal. We need to come forward with a multi-year approach to this program because it's important, whether you're in Fort Liard -- where we're going this weekend to open a new operation there -- or whether you're in Cape Dorset or Pangnirtung doing prints, that we move to renew the level of sales and revenues we had 10 years ago for northern art. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Question 561-12(7): Minister's Visit To North American Art Symposium In New Mexico
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Whitford.

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question I would like to direct to the Minister of Economic Development, Tourism and Parks. It concerns the services to the campgrounds and parks in the territories. Some of my constituents visited some parks last weekend and they were concerned that where there used to be potable water available, there was no water. I would like to ask the Minister whether cost-saving initiatives have created a situation where water is no longer going to be provided at these campgrounds. I think it's important to the visiting public to know this because they're getting water from the lake. I would like to ask the Minister whether water services to these parks have been discontinued.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 562-12(7): Status Of Water Services In Nwt Parks
Question 562-12(7): Status Of Water Services In NWT Parks
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I want to assure the honourable Member that if there was no potable water in some of these parks, it was probably due to an error in maintenance of the parks, and I will look into it. We recognize the importance of parks. I don't want to pick one park over another, but we know from some of the tracking we've done over the last two years that the parks on the highway system see significant occupation by people from outside of the Northwest Territories. We know that there are significant dollars left within the territories, and the importance that is to the economy and the country. I'll look into the matter the Member has rightly raised. Thank you.

Return To Question 562-12(7): Status Of Water Services In Nwt Parks
Question 562-12(7): Status Of Water Services In NWT Parks
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier...Listening to the radio this morning, I noted there was an interview done with the Minister responsible for fire suppression. In that interview, he indicated what type of resources we were using. Looking through the request for proposals and trying to determine whether we're using all our resources, the Minister indicated we're only using one DC-4 to attack the fires in the Sahtu area. Can the Premier indicate to this House whether or not we're using all resources for land-based aircraft and fire suppression to address those fires in the Sahtu region? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Return To Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, it's my understanding that all the resources are deployed in the Northwest Territories. The resources that aren't being used in the Sahtu region are deployed in other parts of the Northwest Territories. I don't have the exact details, but the Minister, in a call last night, indicated that he did not want to take all the resources out of other areas that probably are very subject to a quick forest fire at this time with the dry season. So the resources are, if not deployed in Sahtu, in other parts of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Return To Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all know that there are now two communities, and everyone knows that I'm concerned about the fire season this year. When communities are evacuated and a state of emergency is declared -- and it's my understanding they're near that state -- generally you call in other resources, whether they be from the south, whether they be the military or whatever. What other resources besides what the Northwest Territories has provided have been called in to assist addressing these fires in the Sahtu region? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I believe the statement by the Minister of Renewable Resources this morning did indicate that there were other resources brought in. Two more CL-215s are coming from Quebec. The Caterpillars working to establish a fireguard at Jackfish Lake are, I believe, local. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Premier provide to the Members of this House the types of resources that are addressing the fire issue in the Sahtu so we can tell if we're using all our resources or what areas they're in? I think in a situation like this, the government has to make every effort to use as many resources as possible, whether they be from the south or from the north, to address an emergency state. Thank you.