Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to continue the discussion on the NWT fishing industry. On September 21, 2018, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard announced the establishment of a ministerial advisory panel to examine alternative governance and ownership model for the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation which better reflects the environment and marketing conditions in today's industry. The panel was directed to explore models that support collaboration and cooperation amongst fishers and involve them in decision-making. The report also stressed the change in governance of FFMC: "Increase fisher participation in FFMC by drawing board members from fishers and fisher organizations. Fisher board members should be chosen to reflect the regional geographic diversity of FFMC operations and the demographic pattern of Indigenous participation in the fishery."

After our government received this document, and I am assuming they never read it, as they made a decision to do the exact opposite, this government removed the NWT representative from FFMC, who is a fisher, and replaced them with one of our own bureaucrats.

Mr. Speaker, this government talks about building relationships and working in partnership with our homegrown industries, fishing being one of them. In actuality, what is happening is that we are dictating to them and saying we know better. This may be true when it comes to slowing down a process or not providing a timely delivery of projects; we do excel in that area. When it comes to industry itself, it is the fishers who know best. It is the fishers who are putting their lives on the line to keep the industry alive.

Mr. Speaker, I need to know, and the fishers need to know, that approximately $9 million to be spent on a fish plant is based on sound and factual data. I understand that we have someone on the east coast providing a redesign; however, Mr. Speaker, this is not the east coast. This is the NWT. The importance of having an actual fisher on the Board of FFMC is imperative, and having NW fishers part of revitalizing our fishing industry is a given. If we ever expect to maximize financial return to the fishers for the product they deliver, we need their support and participation of all levels in a business case. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.