Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

I am wondering what percent of total BDIC loan funding goes to women entrepreneurs in the Northwest Territories?

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

BDIC's statistics do show that approximately nine percent of total loans go to businesses where women are the sole proprietor. Approximately, 55 percent of total loans go to those where there's a woman who is, at least, a part-owner of the business.

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

I don't think I have to say too much to that. I think it's pretty obvious that there is some room for improvement. Mr. Speaker, I'm wondering what supports are available to NWT women to foster successful entrepreneurship, and are any new initiatives in the works for this year?

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

ITI's very proud to partner with individual communities, particularly through the Community Futures programming. I can highlight that this year, the Thebacha Business Development Services ran an Indigenous women and entrepreneurship seminar, which we were proud to be a part of. Similarly, here in Yellowknife, the Chamber of Commerce hosted women's Trailblazers Symposium. I think that's, in fact, coming up just next week. We're proud to be a sponsor of that. Similarly, BDIC, although not specific to women, does host a quite large number of support services for businesses. It is of note given the theme that's being presented, that since April 1^st of 2020, 65 percent of the attendees at the learning centre sessions hosted by BDIC, in fact, were women.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It's interesting to me that, as someone who grew up in the North, a number of people who decided to become entrepreneurs, whether or not they're men or women, who I went to high school with. When I talk to people from different communities, people have different parts of their life that they're passionate about, and they want to be able to turn that into a business. I'm wondering if the Minister of ITI would commit to working with the Minister of ECE in order to develop high-school-based business curriculum for NWT students? Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

This actually allows me to answer the last part of the previous question that I realize I didn't get to. With respect to curriculum, that certainly falls very much within ECE's purview. With respect to the kind of programming and opportunities that are available for students in high school in a young age bracket, I absolutely will commit to speaking with ECE, with my colleague, to see what we can do so that we can find some complementary programs and ideas. One thing, Mr. Speaker, that ITI is right now at the idea stage of, and it's an exciting stage, is looking at bringing junior achievement back to the Northwest Territories. This is an exciting opportunity. It's kind of a program across Canada that really allows young people to understand business, understand entrepreneurship, and to develop some skills that hopefully will help them become the future entrepreneurs for the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral question. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Presently, ENR is reviewing the community harvest support program and the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program. Members should be happy. Once those two things are completed, ENR will make a commitment to review the hunters and trappers' disaster compensation guideline, and we will have it completed by the end of this year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

The end of the year, a little bit late for spring, but I will ask for exceptions throughout the year if I need to. Will the Minister commit to reviewing the parameters of this funding when they are doing their review, to decrease the percentage of income required through harvesting, to broaden the support for as many harvesters as possible?

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

We have two reviews going on. We would have to bump one if we had to do that, and both those other reviews are very important. In saying that, the program evaluation will include a review of eligibility requirements, including the current criteria related to the income percentage. For the Member, she has reached out to me previously to talk about this. We have brought those concerns forward to the department, and we are making sure this is part of our evaluation process.

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Will the Minister maintain the $40,000 that he had mentioned in this House that would be eligible for compensation, put in place to support the trappers whose cabins flooded in the South Slave, for trappers elsewhere in the territories if that should happen?