Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd just like to use my Member's statement today to talk about the environment and natural resources forest management sector, which takes up more than half of the total department's budget every year, and we're not talking about some small change here, Mr. Speaker. This is something to the tune of nearly $30 million per year, yet to this day I do not know of one successful timber producer in the forest industry here in the NWT. So I'm just curious as to where all these resources are going, because I can see where our actual forest resources are going every year and that being up in smoke, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to see our own timber products going into all our mega projects here in the NWT such as the mining industry, and the oil and gas exploration and development industry, and our growing housing construction industry. The potential for local commercial production is huge, and I do not understand why the GNWT does not openly endorse and support community-based timber harvesting and productions in areas where the viability is blatantly obvious.
I would like to see more dollars in support services in timber business proposal development and marketing initiatives, in areas where the most expertise is lacking in the commercial zones and small communities, and stop spending these large sums of money counting trees year after year.
Later on in today's session I will be asking the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources how we can reassess the forest management dollars that are being spent by this government. Thank you.
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