Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The first question here is about securities. I see it’s mentioned here both under the Commissioner’s land administration, which I understand, and the Territorial land administration.

What is the situation with securities on the Territorial lands with the new legislation we will be adopting here? Right now, for example, under the Commissioner’s Land Act, securities are required for any leased territorial property, Commissioner’s land property that has a liability of $1,000 or greater. What is it under the Territorial lands administration new federal legislation?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Maybe some repetition here. The Green Light document on the environmental plan for the department I’d like to get an update on that, an evaluation of whether we are achieving those goals and objectives.

I’m also interested in the Inuvik and Hay River runway issues related to the loss of permafrost and other perhaps unknown underground issues. I’d like to know where we’re at in terms of schedule for a comprehensive assessment. I know we’ve done some short-term maintenance and whatnot, two or three million dollars’ worth of work. What capacity are we developing for...

Thanks for that information. As I understand it, the Minister will be the decision-maker, except that there might be some sharing of that with a federal Minister. Could I get some fleshing out of that understanding and clarification? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, I was referring to the increase from $200,000 to $400,000 for ground ambulance and highway rescue as well as the Minister’s mentioned, I think, in his introductory remarks, an additional $350,000 for emergency management. I can look up the specific comment here. It was $350,000 for the Ground Ambulance and Highway Rescue Services Program increase in contributions to community governments. That’s probably in a different division, but anyway, we’re looking at $550,000 increase here apparently for the same thing and I’m wondering if it’s going to help with these sorts...

I disagree. I’m talking about exactly the same thing. I’m talking about funding those without Aboriginal treaty rights so that they have the ability to feed into the process exactly as this is being done for Aboriginal groups. In fact, one of the difficulties with our process, environmental review processes, for example, and other processes, such as the proposed Intergovernmental Council and so on, is the lack of recognition of the need for a budget in this area.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not sure what the Minister was talking about there. He certainly didn’t answer the question. I made no assertions. I was asking, as of April 1st, who will be responsible for assessing potential cleanup liabilities. Will it just be the land and water boards or ITI? I’m not sure why the defensive answer there. All of these questions lack the clarity we need, considering these things take effect April 1st. I have to ask why we did not create an NWT version of the NEB as originally intended. A made-in-the-NWT energy board could certainly have taken over from the NEB...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m just wondering: what will the Minister’s role be in environmental assessment processes? I understand other departments of our government will be reporting to this Minister. Could I get a description? My understanding of the current process at the federal level, we’re taking over. Do the departments speak with their own voice into the process but we are proposing that you – this is my understanding, correct me if I’m wrong – will require that departments report to you. To me, this is removing an important series of voices from the process, but perhaps I could get the...

Questions, Mr. Chair.

---Laughter

The fire marshal, what’s happening with that? Thank you.

Finally, just on the project assessment branch, I think this follows up a little bit on our original discussion here earlier today. Coordinates interdepartmental participation and environmental assessment processes and, eventually, and consensus building. Again, I thought each Minister was going to have and retain their own perspectives here, but this seems to mean that there’s going to be one piece of input that’s a consensus, so I’m just wondering what exactly that means in this process.

Being critical is my job. The NEB is playing a big role in enforcing workplace safety standards in the Sahtu, but the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission also has a role to play in regulating the workplace.

Can the Minister explain who will be in charge of workplace safety as of April 1st? Who will be inspecting oil and gas work sites to ensure that safety rules are being followed?