Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak about the businesses in the NWT and the state of the economy. I want to echo some of the comments that my colleagues had on both sides of the floor. I think it's really encouraging for our business community to hear that they are being looked after. More specifically, I wanted to talk about Aboriginal and northern procurement in the NWT. I would like to delve into this a little more and hopefully get a good sense of how this government is going to address this issue.

In my reply to the budget address earlier this year, I mentioned that businesses will be key to getting us through this financial and economic stagnation and decline we are going through right now. I've been seeing some of the employment numbers lately, and the news scares me, quite frankly. I am worried about how our constituents are going to keep roofs over their heads and food on their tables.

With that, in my research, Mr. Speaker, I noticed that we are one of the few jurisdictions here in the NWT that do not have an Aboriginal procurement policy. A good example of this for best practices is in the US. The US Small Business Administration, through the 8(a) Business Development program, supports disadvantaged businesses.

There are quite a few items to go through, but I'll try to keep this brief. Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, the Americans, our neighbours to the South, have set guidelines, and one did stand out, that businesses must be at least 51-percent owned and controlled by their citizens who are economically and socially disadvantaged. To me, that means that our American partners are taking steps to help their minority populations and their businesses.

How does this apply to the NWT, Mr. Speaker? It begs a few questions: where is the support for Indigenous businesses in the NWT to keep bidding on government contracts? What business specialists will help Indigenous businesses compete on bids, mentor businesses, and form joint ventures, and provide management and technical assistance? This service is not available in the NWT for Indigenous businesses who are starting up, developing, or expanding. These are definite service gaps that I believe this government can easily address.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, a solid Aboriginal procurement plan will no doubt be a path toward capacity building, creating employment, and will support Aboriginal governments toward self-determination. Undoubtedly, this will translate to more jobs in the North. With that, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of ITI at the appropriate time. Marsi cho.