Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I did not think this government was responsible for evaluating where the interest was, I thought it was up to the communities and the companies. When you make the response that there is no interest in the Mackenzie Delta, apparently there is a company under discussion with the Gwich'in Development Corp and the communities in the Delta called High Level Energy, which presently have oil and gas leases along the Sahtu - Gwich'in boundary lines. They have two leases. Under the arrangement, they have to develop those leases within a certain time period. I think that is the reason for this particular discussion. It seemed like those who come to the trough and this government determining who will get the funding and a large portion of that money is being held back at headquarters to evaluate what they feel is their priority list versus the ideas in the communities. On one hand, we are telling the communities we have a deficit problem, we cannot generate jobs, we cannot generate employment, it is up to you to go do it. Yet this is one area the communities and regions could start marketing themselves to the oil industry, the mining industry and other industries in Canada. These funds have been used on consultants and everything else, but I think it is time we let the communities start marketing themselves. That is what this money should be spent for. With that, I would like to table a motion regarding the whole idea of distributing these funds in a more equitable manner than having 80 percent of it sitting at headquarters.
David Krutko on Committee Motion 27-13(4): Recommendation To Return Funding For The NWT Arctic Tourism Association To Historical Levels
In the Legislative Assembly on February 26th, 1997. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 27-13(4): Recommendation To Return Funding For The NWT Arctic Tourism Association To Historical Levels
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th, 1997
Page 915
See context to find out what was said next.