Thank you, Mr. Blake. Minister Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As I mentioned earlier, the CHAP funding was doubled late in the life of the 16th Assembly, I

believe it was in 2010. We understand that there is a pressure on community hunters and harvesters to get out on the land. I have a breakdown of regional contributions under this. I don’t have it by community, but in the Inuvik region it was $266,000 and that would be divided, the Member is correct, by the communities that are there. I can get that further breakdown for the Member if he likes. Thank you.

As you know, in the Beaufort-Delta region there are almost 15 communities there so it doesn’t go a long way, but I think we need to relook at that. There are two different pots, actually, CHAP, as you mentioned and also, it is different under each land claim group, but it is the Gwich’in Harvester Assistance Program or the same under the Inuvialuit, but I think we do need to take a better look at that. There are more people wanting to go out and trap and hunt and make a partial living off of wild furs and hunting. It helps out a lot with the cost of living up in that area and I just wanted to raise that point. Thank you.

I certainly look forward to the discussion during the business planning process next fall. We also have the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program. Just late last year we increased the Fur Revolving Fund by $600,000.

We have had a great deal of success in getting trappers top dollar for fur at market and we are seeing more people get out on the land that are trapping and pursuing that activity. It has been very successful for us, and again, I look forward to the questions in the fall in the business planning process. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, just along those lines, I have maybe more of a recommendation that maybe the Minister work with the Minister of ENR to try to work out some sort of an increase in price for beaver pelts. Many people in the Beaufort-Delta will know the population has really exploded up in that area and I’m sure it’s the same in all areas, but there is just no demand for those pelts right now. Instead of letting the population double and double, I think we need to help manage that resource and try to put I don’t know whether it’s a bounty to help harvesters try to harvest those furs. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, that is a good recommendation by the Member and it is certainly something that I can discuss with the Minister of ENR, Minister Miltenberger. We can have a discussion about that. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ramsay. Committee, we are on 12-30 to 12-33. I have Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just couldn’t let this section go by without asking about the Business Development Investment Corporation. I recognize that we have the Investment Corporation and they are to support economic objectives of the GNWT, to help the development of northern businesses and so on, but I read the description of activities under the department itself and it seems to me that we are duplicating investment services. We have investment services through the department and we have investment services through the BDIC.

I’ve talked to the Minister about this before, and I guess I would just like to know if the Minister has done any consideration of combining investment services so that they are all in one place so that we don’t have people working in two different places basically doing the same thing.

I believe the Minister earlier spoke to a review of BDIC, and I guess my question is whether efficiency in BDIC and in the investment section of ITI is something that is being considered as part of the review of BDIC. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We had a review of the Business Development Investment Corporation. We’ve just got that report back. We’re currently reviewing that report. It’s our expectation that we’ll have to respond to that report, at which time there are going to be some decisions,

obviously, that will need to be made, and we certainly look forward to sharing the report and its findings with Members and talking about next steps forward when it comes to the Business Development Investment Corporation and where we go from here. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for the explanation. My understanding was the review was looking at the programs of BDIC. My question goes to a bigger picture to the whole issue of duplication of services. Is that something that is/was part of the review? If not, is it something that the Minister will consider in addition to this current review? Thank you.

The program review was for programs and services delivered by BDIC. That also gets to efficiency and effectiveness of those programs. That certainly would draw us into having some question about, I know the Member calls it duplication, and if we could look into a different way of doing things, those things are going to be taken into consideration. We’re not making decisions overnight. This is going to be something that we put a lot of thought and effort into. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I appreciate that this isn’t being rushed into. I’m never one to rush into anything and do it post-haste. I just wonder if the review is looking at, and again I’ll call it duplication of services, and the Minister may not agree and that’s fine and dandy, but it’s my understanding that somebody starting a business will need to or can go to ITI for certain things, can go to BDIC for certain things and it seems to me that if we are investing in businesses in the NWT, we would want to make it as easy as possible for somebody to go to one place and get everything that they need, advice from start to finish and the ability to get the money they need in one place and not have to go to one place for money and another place for advice. Is that something that has been part of the review of BDIC? Again, if not, will it be considered as the Minister is looking at making changes? Thank you.

Yes, getting back to the review on effectiveness and efficiency, the answer to the Member’s question is yes. As we move this forward, I look forward to the input of Regular Members on where we go from here. Thank you.

I guess I’d just like to ask the Minister when he expects that review will be available to Members. I certainly look forward to reading it and being able to provide some input on where we go next. Thank you.

Before the end of the fiscal year, I could say with some certainty.

Committee, we are on page 12-33, activity summary, economic

diversification and business support, grants and contributions, $13.858 million. Agreed?

Thank you. Committee, page 12-34, economic diversification and business support, active positions. Any questions?

Thank you. Page 12-35, information item, lease commitments - infrastructure. Any questions?

Seeing none, page 12-36, information item, Fur Marketing Service Revolving Fund. Any questions?