Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 3-18(3) asked by the Member for Frame Lake to the Premier on February 7, 2018, regarding the Government of the Northwest Territories' participation in the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup in January 2018.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to advise this House that six Ministers and 28 staff were in Vancouver at the time of the Roundup. While attendance at the Roundup may not have been the sole reason for travelling to Vancouver, all Ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly, and staff attended one or more events at this year's Roundup.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to participating in mining- and exploration-focused events and to support our government's ongoing efforts to raise awareness and understanding of the NWT's leading approach to Indigenous partnership and reconciliation, I took the opportunity while in Vancouver to meet with groups of students from Simon Fraser University.
I also had the opportunity to deliver a keynote address at the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and to participate in a round table discussion held at the Simon Fraser University Centre for Dialogue between NWT representatives, provincial and federal public servants, British Columbia Indigenous representatives, and representatives of environmental organizations.
The total cost of air travel for the 34 participants was $41,730. All travel was economy class, except some southern ministerial travel which was accommodated through business class travel when economy class travel was not available.
Participants' accommodations costs varied by lengths of stay but have been calculated at a total of $43,550 for the six Ministers and 28 staff. Other expenses for the 34 participants such as meals, incidentals, and taxis totalled $27,055. No allowances were paid.
The GNWT paid $6,035 in Roundup registration fees, and exhibition costs charged to the GNWT totalled $63,186. No consultant fees were paid.
The GNWT supported the participation of 14 individuals representing NWT Indigenous governments in this year's Roundup. The contributions toward these "other NWT representatives" totalled $63,000.
The hospitality events hosted by the GNWT were a Premier's Luncheon, and Indigenous Partners' Breakfast and an NWT Open House, costing a total $32,973. Each of these events provided NWT Cabinet Members with opportunities to address and network with large gatherings of industry representatives, including prospectors, geoscientists, investors, suppliers and those interested in the mineral exploration industry.
The GNWT's direct costs and contributions associated with the participation at Roundup in 2016 totalled approximately $137,000, in 2017 approximately $196,359, and in 2018 approximately $277,530. The increase in annual costs to attend Roundup can be attributed to an enhanced GNWT presence at this year's Roundup, indicative of the NWT's commitment to promoting and supporting responsible mineral exploration and development in the NWT.
The GNWT continues to view active participation in the Roundup as an effective means to promote the NWT as a destination for mineral exploration investment and new mining developments. Our investments are beginning to show returns with new exploration companies entering the territory, increased claim-staking and new activity in regions that haven't seen exploration for some time.
Resource development plays an important role in the NWT economy. The opportunity to engage with stakeholders at this conference allowed us as leaders to advance our objectives on growing a sector of the economy that provides jobs and salaries to thousands of NWT residents.
Promoting awareness of NWT priorities and advocating for its interests on the national and international stage is an ongoing responsibility that Ministers and staff undertake by participating in a range of events, including meetings with other government leaders and dignitaries, representing the NWT at Federal-Provincial-Territorial and other intergovernmental meetings, and attending and presenting at conferences, trade shows, workshops and other events like Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, the Geosciences Forum, Opportunities North, Meet the North, and later this year the Anti-Poverty Roundtable and the Alternative Energy Conference. While the GNWT does not track specific results for any particular event, this is part of the ongoing work of promoting the interests of the Government and people of the Northwest Territories that is common to all governments.