Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Finance. I would like to start by noting that the new debt limit of $1.3 billion contributes to financial potential. We need to move forward as a territory, but we certainly have to use this potential wisely, focusing first on our people and communities rather than servicing the global corporations that rarely are yielding the economic development we seek.

With this new flexibility, and recognizing the dire issues our people face, what are the Minister’s priorities in the allocation of these newly authorized opportunities? Mahsi...

Programs like the Tlicho Wilderness Training Programs, social initiatives such as Dene Nahjo and social supports like eradicating poverty, paying a living wage and ensuring a basic guaranteed income all pay big returns on local economic development.

Attendees urged Ecology North to make this an annual event. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in thanking all those who made this happen, and wish them the best of success with next year’s forum. Mahsi.

I appreciate the Minister’s comments. Unfortunately, he didn’t mention where most of our dollars are going and that’s plan A, which is the pursuit of fossil fuels, a very, very risky investment, getting riskier every day. The International Monetary Fund found that between directly lowered prices, tax breaks and uncompensated environmental damage, fossil fuel subsidies worldwide were over $1.9 trillion in 2011 or 8 percent of global government revenues, a huge drag on economy. The IMF’s solution to both economic and climate risk is simple: End fossil fuel subsidies and tax carbon. They add the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow up on my Member’s statement with questions for the Premier. The current low price of oil gives us an opportunity to develop alternatives. Money we are saving through lower fossil fuel prices must be invested to implement environmentally, economically and socially sustainable and responsible energy solutions.

I’m wondering, as lead on energy, what extra money from our fuel savings from reduced oil prices is the Premier allocating to exploring and implementing renewable energy solutions for our people and, thus, for our planet. Mahsi.

In the words of an economist, “The solution to both climate and economy is worldwide conversion from fossil fuels to renewables.” This massive conversion program will lead to powerful economic growth, less economic drag from energy costs, higher revenue for treasuries and strong employment drivers.

So, here we are at the fork in the road, choosing between a path that continues to destroy our planet and offers only a few local boom and bust jobs in return, and a renewable energy future that holds a promise of healthy, lasting jobs and a sustainable economy. Which do we choose? Our people, our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to this, I am pleased to summarize the intent of the comprehensive rewrite of the Assembly’s rules as well as to highlight the most substantive changes that are being incorporated.

A working group consisting of senior staff from the Office of the Clerk was formed to study and make recommendations on revisions to the current rules of the Legislative Assembly. The working group considered the rules and procedures of other Legislatures with a particular focus on the approaches taken in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Nunavut and New South Wales, Australia, as well as the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know there are multiple examples of parks in the Northwest Territories that allow the use of motors and hunting and so on.

Will the Minister assure NWT residents that any northern tools used in conjunction with national park legislation for Thaidene Nene will provide protection equivalent to a national park while reflecting the recreational interests of Northerners? Mahsi.

I assume that would be before those tools would be actually applied, so that there was understanding on the basis of…so the public could have real input there.

My second question: Can the Minister provide assurance that there will be a full and early consultation with the public about the concept of Thaidene Nene? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For the subsidies, simply look at our infrastructure budget, as the public does, of course. Let me sum up here, Mr. Speaker. The use of fossil fuels threatens the basic systems that make our planet livable. Fossil fuel assets are rapidly becoming liabilities as renewables are becoming too competitive and carbon levels become too dangerous. Our economies can no longer bear the subsidies for fossil fuel extraction, and there is a growing local and international belief that rapid transition to renewable solves the problems of both the climate and economy.

My question is...

That was four months ago, so we are anxiously awaiting that report. Fossil fuel companies and governments and, in fact, investors are confronted by the risk that many of the still-in-the-ground petrochemical reserves that count on balance sheets may never be recovered or realized. Burning more hydrocarbons is destroying the planet, as we know, and renewable energy is becoming more economically feasible daily, as we know.

Given the increasing likelihood that our fossil fuel reserves will be stranded because of economy and ecology, does this government have a plan B for our economy? If so, what...