Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development in the area of market gardens, the Community Market Garden Development Program. Mr. Speaker, for some time now all we have been hearing about is what we are going to do in the area of diamond mines and subsidizing gold mines and oil and gas, all the rest of that kind of stuff. People have been asking, when are we going to start supporting and promoting non-renewable resources in the North? We are very, very pleased that the Minister has announced this support for the Community Market Garden Development Program. I am not sure when the press release came out because the press release is not dated. However, it is number 99-065. The press release says, a new program is supporting development of small-scale foods and market garden production in the Northwest Territories. The Community Market Garden Development Program was recently announced by Minister Stephen Kakfwi. Mr. Kakfwi is quoted as saying,"Market gardens can play a vital role in northern life, with committed support from the department, not only will community residents learn more about food, it will also provide a valuable stable community service." Mr. Speaker, we thought this was a great idea, so we checked into it a little bit. The press release states that a maximum of $5,000 is available to cover capital start-up costs, and that is true. What it did not say is that $5,000 is the total amount that is allocated for the North Slave region. I would like to ask the Minister what he meant when he said, with committed support from the department? Could he explain that, please?
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
In the Legislative Assembly on July 29th, 1999. See this topic in context.
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
July 28th, 1999
Page 706
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.
Return To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for the compliment. I have not heard anything positive for a couple of days, so I am relieved to know there is something positive on the horizon from him. The Market Garden Development Program was announced in June, perhaps much too late for most of our communities to take advantage of, but as under-resourced as it is, as late as it was introduced, it is still, as the Member recognizes, a good initiative. With dwindling resources, with limited , I as the Minister and the department have chosen to initiate the program anyway. What we have said is that we are trying to provide at least $5,000 to at least one initiative per community so that anyone who wants to get into market gardening to sell their products will be eligible to receive this assistance. I agree that there is not anywhere near the kind of resources that should be allocated to this, but with more positive comments from the other side, we may be moved to look at increasing it next year, if we can. I want to encourage Members to be very positive in the way they perceive the hard work of Ministers on this side and to know that there are good things happening in spite of recent perceptions and the rhetoric. Thank you.
Return To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.
Supplementary To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you. Mr. Speaker, after all that, I still do not know what the committed support is from the government. However, I guess that could mean $5,000 every year. I am glad to hear the Minister indicate that he might consider increasing the amount of money that is available because as of a week or so ago in this region alone, 600 people showed their interest by picking up application forms. I would like to ask the Minister if he could seriously consider increasing the amount of that $5,000 for next growing season. Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Kakfwi.
Further Return To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will consider the suggestion, the advice, or the recommendation by the Member. I am serious about that. I think it is a good initiative. If there is any possible way to increase the allocation of resources to this particular program, I will most definitely do it. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.
Supplementary To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the stipulations is that in larger centres like Yellowknife, you have to have a minimum of three acres of land that you are using to plant food and that type of stuff in. It is pretty hard to find three solid acres around Yellowknife here. In Europe, where land is hard to come by, there are many successful market gardens which sustain a full-time market gardener on less than one hectare. The community market garden here in town is 50 feet by 300 feet, set up to feed 48 people minimally, and three acres is 362 feet by 362 feet, which is roughly six times as large as that. I wonder if the Minister could also possibly reconsider this qualification that there has to be a minimum of three acres. Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Kakfwi.
Further Return To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
Further Return To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.
Supplementary To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I have one final question out of the Minister's statement. He had indicated that this was announced in June. The documents here indicate that your application for this year had to be in by the end of May. I was just wondering why they bothered to announce this initiative this year if it is already too late to apply. Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 706
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Kakfwi.
Further Return To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 707
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have no idea why that happened, but I will ask the department to clarify that for me.
Further Return To Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Question 254-13(7): Community Market Garden Development Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 707
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Mr. Henry.