Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just a couple of quick follow-up questions. Again, I wasn’t clear on some of the responses I got earlier from the Minister of Environment. He mentioned that he had met with the working group and was intending to meet with them again, that he met with them last month and is intending to meet next month.

Does that working group include the stakeholders group? Thank you.

Again, the Minister referring to the working group doesn’t tell me exactly what groups are being contacted there. Perhaps he could provide that information. I just note that in developing the Wildlife Act we recognized that our desire to carefully manage wildlife through accurate reporting of how many animals were harvested was perceived as a barrier to hunting by Aboriginal people, especially elders. We left that issue unresolved, but, if anything, the need for accurate harvest estimates has become even more extreme, as the Minister has stated himself.

What is the Minister’s approach to this...

Thanks to the Minister. I’m glad to hear we’re off to a start here. A large part of the reason it took so many years to revise the Wildlife Act was that people did not feel they were included in the early rounds of discussions.

Can the Minister outline the approach we will be taking to ensure that everyone will be included in the development of the new regulations – and so far the people I’m talking to are not getting a warm and fuzzy feeling there – and how committee will be included in this work? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a great honour to recognize Anthony J. Whitford, a resident of Weledeh and a person of some renown in this House and I believe still holding, in fact, an honourary assignment as Table Officer of this House. Welcome, Tony.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks very much for that clarification.

Will the Minister commit to getting both of these groups together for a refreshing all-under-one-tent discussion? Mahsi.

I’m not quite sure that’s relevant to my question. Obviously they will need a terms of reference, it’s a pretty broad swath in the agreement. What is this? Is this government working with other governments? This government very legitimately needs a role to play and that role is not restricted to Cabinet. In fact, it’s not restricted to half of our public; it includes all our public.

Again, I will ask how will Regular Members have input into how this council works and other aspects that would typically be covered in a terms of reference if it’s going to be done without a terms of reference. I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, February 20, 2014, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that the Government of the Northwest Territories work with our regional Aboriginal government partners to determine the desirability and feasibility of establishing and staffing regional offices as a basis for ensuring meaningful input into land and water management structures;

And further, that the Government of the Northwest Territories work with the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board to seek support and resources...

You wouldn’t happen to have a crowbar I could use, would you? Sorry, Mr. Speaker.

What I’m looking for maybe is a commitment from the Premier to provide to the public everything that is not confidential as it was provided in the final agreement, and will the Premier also assure the public at this time in this House that we will not be assuming substantial new liabilities without holding securities to cover them? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity. I wanted to follow up with my questions for the Premier on the liability and of very grave concern, obviously, if not managed properly. Again, I cite our final agreement where Appendix 7, Part E lists our operating sites that we will become responsible for, and as both the Premier and I mentioned, there’s the opportunity to modify that list, but it’s over 200 sites, so it’s a very substantial list. We’ve mentioned the Norman Wells pipeline and the diamond mines and so on, we are taking those over as per our agreement.

All we have is this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have to say finally an answer, sort of. I appreciate that.

On behalf of our public, there are many sites that we’re taking over and we will be taking on a lot of liability.

Will the Premier commit to providing the public and this House with a final list of the amount of security deposits and the assessed liabilities for each potentially contaminated site? For example, operating mines that we’re taking over that will be transferred to the GNWT as of April 1st and will he commit to doing this by March 1st so that we and the public have a full understanding of the...