Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the weekend I had the opportunity to speak to the mayor of Gjoa Haven. We have talked about the economy of that community and around the community of Kitikmeot east. We talked mainly about the economy across the board. When we talk about economy we are talking about Arctic Bay, Pelly Bay, Lac La Martre, Yellowknife and so on. We have talked about the diamond and mining industries, small businesses and other opportunities in the NWT. Somewhere during the process, Mr. Speaker, we forget about the little people in the community. The little people who are trying to help out, who are dependent upon trapping, arts and crafts. Those people who do not wish to receive social assistance from this government, who wish to retain their pride and support their family in the job they are able to do. One area the mayor and I talked about was finding the market for arts and crafts. He indicated to me that although the products from the carvers are bought in the community, it is only in a limited quantity by the Co-op and by the Northern Store. He also indicated those who are internationally renowned artists are able to sell their carvings in the local community, but those who are capable of producing good carvings are not recognized as much as they should be. At the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of Economic Development, what are we doing to help those carvers at the local level? Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 9th, 1998
Topics
Member's Statement 188-13(5): Assistance To The Arts And Crafts Industry
Item 3: Members' Statements
Page 643
John Ningark Natilikmiot
Member's Statement 188-13(5): Assistance To The Arts And Crafts Industry
Item 3: Members' Statements
Page 643
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Picco.
Member's Statement 189-13(5): Keewatin Pilot Project
Item 3: Members' Statements
Page 643
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Keewatin pilot project is a proposal by the Keewatiners to look at block funding of capital and operations and maintenance funding allocated to the region locally. Last week we had the opportunity to meet with some of the mayors and discuss the proposal. Bringing government closer to the people is one of reasons Nunavut was and will come into being.
MACA has explained the initiative as a pilot project that will allow the capital process to be managed closer to the communities so that the communities can have more ownership of decisions about project management and can better link project management with training opportunities. The communities would still have to abide the department's policies, standards and criteria. There are some questions that need to be answered concerning the Keewatin pilot project. Those include, as the committee of the GNWT and the Kivallivik leadership officials develop a transfer proposal as planned, would the legislation be required to enable the region to assume these functions or would some other legal mechanism be available? Have the NIC, NTI or the KIA been consulted? If so, what are their positions? Can this proposal be rationalized in light of Footprints 2?
Mr. Speaker, the proposal warrants further discussion. I thank the mayors from the Keewatin who came last week to Yellowknife to meet with us to discuss the proposal. Later today I will be asking the Minister for MACA, for an update for these and other issues concerning the Keewatin pilot project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member's Statement 189-13(5): Keewatin Pilot Project
Item 3: Members' Statements
Page 643
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Morin.
Member's Statement 190-13(5): House Pages From Tu Nedhe
Item 3: Members' Statements
Page 643
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me honour and pleasure today to recognize two very important young people from my riding from the community of Fort Resolution in Tu Nedhe. I recognize Leanne Boucher from Fort Resolution and Ekecho Lockhart from Lutselk'e. They are here to serve the Members as Pages for this week. They were chosen by their principal and teachers to represent the communities and I am sure they will do an excellent job for us all. Welcome to this House and welcome to Yellowknife.
--Applause
Member's Statement 190-13(5): House Pages From Tu Nedhe
Item 3: Members' Statements
Page 643
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Todd.
Member's Statement 191-13(5): House Pages From Rankin Inlet
Item 3: Members' Statements
Page 643
John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague I would also like to introduce two Pages from my home town of Rankin Inlet. One is Najuk Kusugak, who is the son of Sandy and Mike Kusugak and Brian Tattuinee, who is the son of Annie and Louie Tattuinee. Both are not only outstanding students in school but they are also some of the better hockey players in the Keewatin. I would like all of you to join me in welcoming them here this week. Thank you.
--Applause
Member's Statement 191-13(5): House Pages From Rankin Inlet
Item 3: Members' Statements
Page 643
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Todd.
Return To Oral Question 174-13(5): Nunavut Government Infrastructure In Arviat
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Page 643
John Todd Keewatin Central
In response to Mr. O'Brien's questions with regard to progress on Nunavut government infrastructure in Arviat, I can offer an update, which has been provided by the Nunavut Construction Company, the party responsible for the construction of this infrastructure.
I have provided to all Members a copy of a media advisory from the Nunavut Construction Corporation. It summarizes the labour force and construction situation for those NCC projects presently underway. As the media advisory suggests, winter weather is the reason for a slow down of construction activities. In Arviat, no outside work will be done on the housing units until the weather improves which will probably be in April. However, a crew of three continues to do electrical and mechanical work on the housing units in Arviat. This work is taking place inside the housing units. Thank you.
Return To Oral Question 174-13(5): Nunavut Government Infrastructure In Arviat
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Page 644
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mrs. Groenewegen.
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 644
Jane Groenewegen Hay River
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to today recognize two Pages from Hay River who have come up to serve the Members of the Legislature, Sarah Pope and Morgan Schauerte, incidently the nephew of the our Deputy Clerk.
--Applause
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 644
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Todd.
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 644
John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to recognize two good friends of mine, Cecelia and William Palvialok who are both residents of Rankin Inlet. William was an original resident from Cambridge Bay, but when he met Cecelia, he had to come to Rankin to live there.
--Applause
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 644
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.
Question 251-13(5): Marketing NWT Arts And Crafts
Item 6: Oral Questions
February 8th, 1998
Page 644
John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all I want to salute and recognize Mr. Stephen Kakfwi, Minister of RWED for his speech on developing the NWT economy, from the bottom of my heart, Mr. Speaker.
Question 251-13(5): Marketing NWT Arts And Crafts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 644
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.
Return To Question 251-13(5): Marketing Nwt Arts And Crafts
Question 251-13(5): Marketing NWT Arts And Crafts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 644
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has been a fact for some time that while many of our people, businesses and community-based organizations have done well in producing arts and crafts, we have not done a proper job in developing marketing strategies. We produce, but we do not spend enough time developing a way in which to sell to make sure that we have a market place to go to. People are going to accept the goods, reproduce and move them on to the consumers. We need to do more work in deciding what type of arts and crafts we need to produce and in what quantities, so that we are meeting the needs of consumers and tourists. We need to do more work so we know the volumes and the quality of work that is required to meet the needs of the consumers. We need to do more work in identifying the potential consumers and then alerting and making aware these potential consumers of the goods that we have available to us.
The NWT Development Corporation in the last year and a half has done considerable work just to shore-up the existing businesses we have across the territories to make sure they are running and operating in a manageable way. We are now turning our attention towards marketing. I have just come back from attending a conference in the United States, in Scottsdale, just outside of Phoenix, Arizona where we have brought producers of arts and crafts from all the aboriginal communities across Canada. The Northwest Territories was very well represented there under the organization of the Northwest Trading Company and the NWT Development Corporation and also with the involvement with the Cultural Institute. There we met with dealers, gallery owners and people from across the United States, who have a specific interest in becoming aware and acquiring carvings, paintings, arts and crafts from aboriginal communities. We think we have made a good start and a positive impact. We will know over the next couple of months whether this has been a good investment or not. Those are some of the examples of the things we are doing in regard to the concern to make sure as the market goes up and down that we continue to be diligent and trying to promote and maintain the markets that we have established to date. Thank you.
Return To Question 251-13(5): Marketing Nwt Arts And Crafts
Question 251-13(5): Marketing NWT Arts And Crafts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 644
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.
Supplementary To Question 251-13(5): Marketing Nwt Arts And Crafts
Question 251-13(5): Marketing NWT Arts And Crafts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 644
John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you. Mr. Speaker. Supplementary to the same honourable Minister. Mr. Speaker, carving, arts and crafts are much more than providing an economy across the board, I think it is also retaining the pride and identity of the native people. Mr. Speaker, if indeed the honourable Minister has a plan or strategy to promote the arts and crafts in the jurisdiction, will the Minister share that strategy and plan with this House? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 251-13(5): Marketing Nwt Arts And Crafts
Question 251-13(5): Marketing NWT Arts And Crafts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 644
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Kakfwi.
Further Return To Question 251-13(5): Marketing Nwt Arts And Crafts
Question 251-13(5): Marketing NWT Arts And Crafts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 645
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Speaker, at this time we do not have comprehensive documents that would outline the specifics or strategy in general terms for all the different products that we have. We can develop a document that would outline specific initiatives we have in regard to Inuit carvings. Things we have done to make sure that the material required for carving is accessible to the artists in the communities, illustrate the kind of work we are doing to make inroads for new markets and increasing the marketing of Inuit art in southern Canada. We have done work, for instance, in the lumber sector. We can share with Members all the different sectors of our economy that we are looking at. Fish for instance, wild meat products, and share with them, in a general summary document, the kind of initiatives we are taking to promote and market these products in the different sectors. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 251-13(5): Marketing Nwt Arts And Crafts
Question 251-13(5): Marketing NWT Arts And Crafts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 645
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.
Supplementary To Question 251-13(5): Marketing Nwt Arts And Crafts
Question 251-13(5): Marketing NWT Arts And Crafts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 645
John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We know that the Arctic Co-op is trying to market arts and crafts across the country. I do not know how much we are able to export because of animal rights activists. Mr. Speaker, my question is, what seems to be the problem of not being able to find a market for the arts and crafts in the territories and across the country? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 251-13(5): Marketing Nwt Arts And Crafts
Question 251-13(5): Marketing NWT Arts And Crafts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 645
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Kakfwi.
Further Return To Question 251-13(5): Marketing Nwt Arts And Crafts
Question 251-13(5): Marketing NWT Arts And Crafts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 645
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not think there is any specific problem that can be pinpointed in regard to all the different products that we have. For instance, we produce lumber. We produce fish. We have fish products, muskox meat, caribou meat, hides, fur, things like moccasins, fur products, shrimp and char. A whole range of different products. Inuit carvings, Dene carvings and paintings. Each one of these products are handled a little differently, have different markets and require different types of work to be done in order to get it flowing into an established market. In general terms the one problem we might say we have is, we spend a great deal of time and money developing businesses to produce goods, to make jobs that result in the production of goods, but we have not spent enough time and resources in preparing a market place for these goods. Very often we end up stockpiling certain styles of products because we scramble only after the fact to try and figure out who is going to buy these things. Is it the kind of product they want to buy, how much of these goods would they be interested in buying? Looking at things like quality, workmanship, availability, consistency of supply and the many other things the consumers at the other end require. Also, the particular price tag, the particular market might be willing and able to spend. In general terms, if there is any one problem that we have, I would say, it is specifically as the Member has alluded to, the problem that we have not spent enough time developing work to make sure our products are available, the consumer is aware and a willing interest in acquiring these products. Thank you.