Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, I have a number of questions as well on this page. Obviously, we’re talking a great deal of money here. So I’d like to just follow up first on that early childhood aspect.

I want to say first off that we have, as a committee, had some good discussions with the Minister and we’re looking forward to developing opportunities in the early childhood area. I think the Minister understands our interest from this side of the House and the priority we’re placing on it.

Just reading the description, the activity description, Mr. Chair, the early childhood and school services...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to ask a question on the Anti-Poverty Strategy development. Am I correct in assuming that currently, as that development is taking place in the planning and so on, that is being conducted by the directorate of ECE in terms of organizing the steering committee and so on? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’m happy to have this opportunity to offer some general comments in response to the Minister’s opening remarks. I want to start by saying the budget is very tight here for this department and a 1 percent increase, this is a major priority for myself and my colleagues. That is a pretty modest increase compared to the demands that we have.

I also agree with the Minister’s remarks on the arts and culture and heritage, and fully recognize the importance of those to both our identity and strengthening our people and also to diversifying and supporting our economy. Those need...

Thank you, Madam Chair. As the Minister knows, we’ve been pushing for a full-cost accounting approach on this and I assume that the report does look at the cost of the bulk storage facilities for fossil fuels and clean-up costs and so on, and addresses the net costs and benefits, environmental impacts and so on. Is there any conclusions that the Minister can mention and subsequent action to start putting this in place that the Minister is prepared to share at this time?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to follow up from my earlier alerts. I know the department had said earlier this year that they were working on incorporating other fuels like wood pellets into their programs and I’m wondering if I can get an update. I don’t see it referred to here specifically, but perhaps I missed it. Something committee has been asking for for years. If I can get an update on that and if it appears in the budget identified.

I think the Minister meant to say $60 million rather than $60,000 there, but I appreciate those comments. At the time of the AIP we apparently accepted to take over mirror legislation, federal legislation. Obviously, this government has had a lot of problems with the federal legislation or we wouldn’t be after it to change it; we’d be happily going along our way. We do want to make changes that recognize the unique northern perspective. We have been told at the Premier level many times that we can and will be able to modify the mirrored legislation once it’s adopted and the final agreement is...

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate my colleague bringing this motion forward. I will also be supporting the motion. We have talked about this before in committee and with the Minister about the decision to go with social passing based on data exclusively from the South. I know in discussions we’ve often talked about the need for northern data to really assess that decision and we’ve never received that information.

We have quite a different situation in the North with many very, very small communities. Everybody knows each other and it’s quite a different situation. I certainly agree with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement and ask questions of the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Since devolution seems to be the lynchpin of this government’s thinking, I’ll start by asking about the process and effects of federal environmental actions on our future ability to manage our resources.

While critical final negotiations are underway, the federal government is changing the apparatus used to evaluate and regulate development. The one-board proposal, imposition of unsubstantiated deadlines and so on. How are we being treated by the federal...

Thanks for that information. Very good news on the eight graduates there on the move to a diploma. Just on the duration, at one point we were offering the programs at such a low rate that it would take 10 to 20 years to achieve all the programs and the courses required for that qualification. So is it possible to do this now in two or three years of going to school? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government says it will seek input this summer on the vision, principles and objectives that should frame the management of our lands and resources in the future. I have called upon the government for some years to seek this input from the public. When devolution does occur, we must be ready to put in place a new management regime that reflects our values, priorities and environmental needs. I congratulate the government on beginning this work and look forward to hearing the details.

Meanwhile, the federal government seems intent on disassembling environmental...