We’re reaching out to Northerners for all and any advice they would care to give us. For example, the Territorial nominee program for immigration was not specifically listed, I believe, in the options paper. It’s something that we’ve been discussing. Same with the better application of the socio-economic agreements to the mines to get fly in workers to actually live in the North. So, yes, we’re looking for all ideas that could help lead to that.
In the two day round table there was significant longer term discussion about how we better market the Northwest Territories, how we sell the great advantages, how we list things and let people know about health programs for seniors and social or financial assistance for students. They have given us advice and identified issues we know are issues; for example, housing for staff in communities.
The exercise was positive enough that all the members present agreed
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and I committed to this
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that we would meet from now on for the life of
this government at the same time next year here in Yellowknife. We’ll meet to go over what has been done, what the landscape is, how we move forward and how we keep factoring in that particular advice we are getting from all the folks from across the North so that we do it on a more planned, consistent way and not just when we are being squeezed for money.