Thank you, Madam Chair. The comments are going to support the Minister in terms of his direction that he is providing to the staff at the ITI office in terms of the new direction that they are working on. I want to say that the economic growth has been spurred on by many resource development activities in the North. When we have this type of growth in our communities in the Northwest Territories, everyone should really benefit from this growth here. There are certain pieces of work, policies and regulations that everybody gets a fair piece of the pie, so to speak, that we continue to support territorial, regional or community opportunities that support having good businesses done in our communities or in the North here, having resource people know that the communities or the Territories are supporting having resource development. I want to say that to the Minister and that the four percent small business corporate income tax rate is a good start. I think that is one way to see the dollars stay in the pockets of the small businesses. I encourage and support that initiative.
The BIP, we will have some more discussion on that down the road. However, Madam Chair, the thing about the BIP or supporting businesses in the Northwest Territories is finding out who will manage the store. Who is looking after one point shop and stop for the businesses? Who do they call in terms of who is observing the agreements? Who is monitoring the business in the regions? Who is minding the store? Who is keeping check on the businesses, saying are you following the procurement contract, the agreements? I think it should be part of FMBS to take a look. Again, that could be something to have further discussions on. I am not sure if this makes sense or not. I want to see something like that to be seriously considered by this department. We need almost like a manager observer to really mind this new way of thinking by the department in terms of supporting small businesses in the Northwest Territories.
The Minister, in his opening statement, talked about the potential of much more economic development at our doorstep. I would like to ask the Minister later on in terms of an update or a progress date with our region who's settled a land claim in our land claim agreement, is the memorandum of understanding similar to the Gwich'in, a settlement area in terms of how that is going with our settlement secretariat incorporated. That would be a key for our region in terms of that MOU. Certainly, like any good business, we want to capitalize on all opportunities that present itself.
Madam Chair, the Minister has given some good support to our region and other parts in terms of contributing to a regional socio-economic conference. That gives good support to the Minister and his department. Then he knows what the region is thinking and where it is going and that he involves the region in these types of discussions. I encourage the Minister for initiating some support to our regions in terms of having a socio-economic agreement that would be supported by our region. Does he hear from us? It is good that this type of relationship is being built on by our region. I would certainly like to see a general or overall plan of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office, Department of ITI in terms of the types of funding that could be there to help the residents in the communities to really look at the opportunities that the Mackenzie gas pipeline could prepare or is going to be preparing for us, more so in the general sense.
Madam Chair, the other issue I want to talk about is the traditional economy. In his statement, the Minister said that it is an important component to our economic growth. I would like to see types of programs, services, or policies that support this important economy for economic growth. How are we supporting this? I want to, again, commend the Minister on the Take a Kid Trapping Program. I think that is number one. That is where it begins on this type of strengthening our traditional economy. In the business, we call it traditional economy, but when you look at this type of program, it is really our way of life that you are dealing with. Somehow we get into the economy field of this program, but when you talk to the elderly people, really you are talking about our way of life. It is a strong program. It is a strong component to this government here, so I certainly continue any aspect that would continue to support our way of life through the traditional economy measures.
Again, Madam Chair, the Minister talks about, in his general comments, about the Mackenzie gas project. There are various hearings happening. I look forward to some updates. I want to hear, really, the conclusion of these hearings. I want to just leave it at that, Madam Chair.
All these socio-economic agreements, I want to ask the Minister, would he consider some points of discussion with his fellow Cabinet Members in terms of what ways can we strengthen our socio-economic agreements? I don't know if that is possible in terms of some form of regulations, some type of strong monitoring initiatives that can be put in agreements, the way that reports are put out to the communities in terms of how do we analyze it, and checks and balances in terms of the socio-economic agreements.
The oil and gas development are happening now as we speak. The Beaufort-Delta region will certainly experience that should the pipeline go through. Our region also is experiencing that. I am glad that the Inuvik region is going to have some extra help in terms of a sub-office. I certainly hope that this sub-office will also be supporting the Sahtu initiatives because we are quite not yet separated from the Inuvik office there. So I'd still like to maintain some linkage to the Inuvik office. So if they can support in any way to the Sahtu.
The tourism, Madam Chair, is a big issue and I'll have some questions for the Minister in terms of the Canol Heritage Trail. Also, the tourism marketing, I have some
other ideas as to how we can promote the tourism. But I certainly like what the Minister has said in his general comments and I'm going to certainly support him as much as I can in this issue. Thank you.