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Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was work.
Historical Information David Ramsay is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly November 2015, as MLA for Kam Lake

Lost his last election, in 2019, with 49% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Question 942-17(5): Economic Potential In Sahtu Region October 6th, 2015

We continue to work with ENR on the traditional economy on the area of trapping. As I mentioned to the Member, there are currently approximately 100 trappers in the Sahtu. We actively support the marketing of the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program. Over the past four years, they’ve averaged about $370,000 per year in fur sales and an additional $84,000 in fur bonus and grubstake payments to trappers. Over the four years, the total for Sahtu trappers is nearly $2 million, so it’s a tremendous opportunity. This money goes directly back into trappers’ pockets and back into local economies in the Sahtu.

Question 942-17(5): Economic Potential In Sahtu Region October 6th, 2015

Because of the exploration and the little bit of drilling that happened in the Sahtu a couple of years ago, there are folks there that are trained. But the Member’s correct. I mean, we have to be ensuring that the young people are ready for the jobs that are coming, whether they’re in oil and gas or whether they’re in the mining sector. We continue to work closely with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. I know the Minister had a statement earlier, Skills 4 Success. We’ve got the Mine Training Society of the Northwest Territories, as well, and we have to do everything we can as a government to ensure that our folks are ready to take these opportunities and run with them. Thank you.

Question 942-17(5): Economic Potential In Sahtu Region October 6th, 2015

The Selwyn-Chihong Project, which straddles the Yukon-Northwest Territories border, holds great promise and great potential not only for the Sahtu, but for the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. It is a world-class lead-zinc deposit, as the Member indicated, with somewhere around 800 to 850 permanent jobs. I know the company has been into a number of communities in the Sahtu. They’ve been talking to the leadership in the Sahtu about potential IBAs and other opportunities for the Sahtu when it comes to the development of that project. We’re very excited. Initial mine plans had the company looking at mining on the Yukon side at first, but it looks as though the company is going to be mining potentially on both sides of the border, which bodes well for the Northwest Territories and this is a great opportunity for us.

Also in the area of mining, we’ve had some great results from our NWT Geological Survey that would indicate that there’s gold and tungsten in a number of the stream sampling programs that we had conducted last summer. So there’s great potential in the Sahtu for mining. Thank you.

Question 942-17(5): Economic Potential In Sahtu Region October 6th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve got a great idea of what’s in the Member’s riding in the Sahtu. Over the past four years, we’ve spent $8.5 million in funding in the region. We’ve got the greatest potential, of course, with oil and gas and the resource assessment that was done in the central Mackenzie Valley, indicating that there’s close to 200 billion barrels of oil and the benefits, and the development of that could mean potential business opportunities and employment opportunities for residents in the Sahtu.

We also had seen a great advance in agriculture in the Member’s riding. I know Mr. Whiteman is back at potato farming this year and there’s a number of others in communities in the Sahtu who are getting into agriculture.

We’ve also seen an advancement on the traditional economy. Harvesting furs continues to be a source of income in the Member’s riding. I believe in the Sahtu we’ve got close to 100 trappers in the area and they harvest some of the best fur in the Northwest Territories.

We also have to look at tourism and the opportunities tourism is going to provide. The federal government is going to be moving forward with the cleanup of the Canol Trail. Some of that work has started. As the Member knows, earlier this year we had 18 local residents employed on the cleanup. The $800,000, or close to $800,000 flowed through the Department of ITI and we’re happy to see that work start. The federal government indicates it’s going to take up to five years to clean up the Canol in advance of us fulfilling a commitment in the Sahtu Agreement to turn that into a park, and we fully intend on doing that as soon as that trail is remediated. Thank you.

Committee Motion 146-17(5): Bill 64: An Act To Amend The Co-Operative Associations Act - Amendment To Clause 23, Carried October 6th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We are losing employees to retirement at the Department of Justice and I also wanted to wish Mr. MacDougall well on his retirement. He has had a long and dedicated service to the government and to the people of the Northwest Territories. I know he put a lot of work into Bill 64, so I wanted to thank him and wish him well.

---Applause

Committee Motion 143-17(5): Bill 59: Estate Administration Law Amendment Act – Amendment To Subclauses 1(2) And (3), Carried October 6th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Chair. To my right is Mark Aitken, assistant deputy minister, Office of the Attorney General; and to my left is Mr. Gary MacDougall with legal registries.

Committee Motion 143-17(5): Bill 59: Estate Administration Law Amendment Act – Amendment To Subclauses 1(2) And (3), Carried October 6th, 2015

I am pleased to appear before the committee today as you consider Bill 64, An Act to Amend the Co-operative Associations Act.

The main focus of the proposed amendments to the Co-operative Associations Act is to address existing gaps and to clarify and revise outdated provisions. This will include amendments to eliminate overlapping responsibilities of the supervisor within the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and the registrar with legal registries, as well as amendments to enact requirements that correspond more closely with the rules governing other businesses operating in the NWT. The bill also includes a number of non-substantive amendments to ensure consistency with current drafting standards.

The Department of Justice and the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment consulted on the proposed amendments with Arctic Co-operatives Ltd. on several occasions, as it operates as an umbrella organization encompassing many of the retail co-operatives operating in the Northwest Territories. The departments also provided a consultation draft of the bill with an explanation of the proposed amendments to all 19 existing co-operatives.

I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Programs for its review of Bill 64, including very constructive feedback and identification of a number of motions that improve the bill, which will be advanced this afternoon. I look forward to responding to any questions Members may have. Thank you.

Committee Motion 143-17(5): Bill 59: Estate Administration Law Amendment Act – Amendment To Subclauses 1(2) And (3), Carried October 6th, 2015

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to mention to the House that it’s the last time Ms. Kemeys-Jones is going to be appearing at the witness table at the Legislative Assembly. I want to thank her for all her work and I’m sure Members join me in thanking her very much for all her years of dedicated service to the people of the Northwest Territories. Thanks.

---Applause

Committee Motion 143-17(5): Bill 59: Estate Administration Law Amendment Act – Amendment To Subclauses 1(2) And (3), Carried October 6th, 2015

Thanks, Madam Chair. Prior to the amendments they didn’t have the ability to work off the surcharge. That’s the difference. Thank you.