Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, we are currently subsidizing the daycare establishments and early childhood centres across the Northwest Territories. We have provided funding for programming, the mortgage. There are various subsidies that we provide to these establishments. One of the highlights, obviously, part of this feasibility study is to capture what is being provided currently and how can we improve in those areas. Again, capturing those small communities has been highlighted by the stakeholders, and some of the recommendations, obviously, will capture that. It is an integrated approach, working with various organizations, so that will be put forward to the 18th Assembly.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

What will the Minister be recommending to the 18th Legislative Assembly to improve support and funding daycare centres and family day homes, especially in our small communities?

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

The feasibility study, the outcome of the report and then the recommendations that came out of that will be brought forward to the 18th Assembly government. It does cover a spectrum of how we can improve our current programming that we have. As I stated before in this House, there’s always room for improvement in the programming, in departmental division areas. We look forward to those types of discussions as we move forward.

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Blake.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister, I know we are closing the 17th Legislative Assembly here, but is the department open to pilot projects?

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Those are discussions that need to happen within the next government. We’re at the end of our session here and we only have a couple weeks as Regular Members now, so our term will be up as Ministers, Cabinet and Executive. This, what the Member is alluding to, obviously, will be brought forward within the next government to decide if they want to proceed with that other project.

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Dolynny.

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very proud of our record of support for skills development in the tourism industry. ITI has hosted numerous courses on boat safety and first aid to improve the level of safety of our tourism operations. We’ve developed a tourism hospitality program focused on Aboriginal people, and conducted many hospitality training workshops over the life of this government.

Our Tourism 2015 plan rested on three pillars: people, communities, and business. Continued investment in the skills of the people in this industry is essential for future economic growth, and I hope that the new government will continue to support the development of business acumen of our tourism entrepreneurs and the skills of people that they employ.

A recent article in the Huffington Post had Yellowknife as the fasted growing tourism destination in Canada. That’s a testament to the hard work and commitment of the folks in our tourism industry.

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

During the life of this government there have been two trade missions to China, costing taxpayers significant investment.

Can the Minister stand before this House and clearly demonstrate a tangible benefit from these junket missions?

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Again, we’re very proud of the work that we’ve done in China. We’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of visitors from China, since a handful in the low hundreds in 2010, to between January of last year and July this year, well over 7,000 Chinese visitors. We have recently hosted the ambassador from China to Canada here in Yellowknife, in Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk.

We’ve only really scratched the surface at the potential of the Chinese market. Markets in Asia remain fertile ground for us when it comes to tourism and attracting more folks here, and undoubtedly, the next government will be conducting further missions to promote and market the Northwest Territories to Asian markets, specifically China, Japan, and others.

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

For the record, NWT has a handicap in tourism and marketing investment compared to the rest of Canada. Two years ago this Assembly approved a substantial increase to its marketing budget for the NWT Tourism.

Can the Minister of ITI provide us with a brief description of the benefits with that increased funding that he received?

David Ramsay Kam Lake

The numbers I spoke of earlier, I think a direct correlation can be drawn with the fact that this government, and with the support of that side of the House, supported the increased efforts in marketing our tourism industry here in the Northwest Territories, promoting the products that we have here, and I think the numbers we’re starting to see now are paying off. That investment is certainly paying off.

We shouldn’t kid ourselves, though. Out of the 13 jurisdictions in this country, the Northwest Territories ranks 12th in terms of what we put into marketing the tourism industry. We have seen some substantial growth. But if we look across to our west and into the Yukon, they spend $7 million on marketing their tourism industry on an annual basis and we’re at about $2 million. Really, we have to find a way and a means to continue to support the marketing efforts and promoting the products and services in the tourism industry here in the Northwest Territories, not just domestically here in Canada or in North America and the United States but also internationally. We have made some big strides over the last four years, and as I had mentioned earlier, the potential is immense when it comes to the Asian market.