Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to explore an area that is very much about a government's philosophical approach, if you will, to the value of putting taxpayers money at risk as an equity investment in a business.
The track record that we seem to have established over the years or the past decade or longer, is difficult to really pin down, Mr. Chairman, to see just whether or not the dollars that have been put in place have made good sense, at least from a business point of view, and whether it is something that this government should indeed consider in the long run, whether it wants to take its limited financial resources and put them at this kind of risk.
My colleague, Mr. Dent, made a reference I think in this same vein a little while ago to express whether we are making business investments here in the conventional sense of the business world where there is competition, there is risk and reward, or are we really putting money into our society and economy more from a social connotation? The intent of the government to explore or to look at all of our business assistance programs is a very good one, Mr. Chairman, and I am very encouraged and am looking forward to the recommendations that the committee will come forward with.
I would like to see what the Minister might have to say, at least at this point, especially if we look at the way other business assistance is made available in the Northwest Territories. The banking and investment climate that we have in the Northwest Territories has changed quite a bit in the last ten years. There were very few and limited abilities of banks to service the smaller, especially the smaller communities, Mr. Chairman.
I think we now have a much broader basket of services and options for businesses. Government is not the only game any more. I am wondering in this context, does the Minister still feel strongly that this government should be putting money, taxpayer and public money, into high-risk business ventures? Or is it time to recognize what is going on out there? Are there indeed other options that could see government backing away? Maybe I will leave it at that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.