Bob Bromley

Thank you, Madam Chair. I did note that Mr. Neudorf mentioned that the $1 million to complete the required planning was part of the resources for this year’s work on completing the planning for the Inuvik-Tuk all-weather road and that in the past we have reconfigured some of the resources, like, for the gravel access road and so on. I’m wondering what other resources proposed for the fiscal year under discussion are being proposed and where they will be coming from.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Having had the capital budget in front of us for two minutes here now, I’d like to start off by just saying that I note that $1 million had been budgeted to complete the required planning for the Inuvik to Tuk all-weather road. I’d like to ask the Minister what has been spent to date to confirm that this will complete the planning for that project mentioned in his opening remarks.

I want to compliment the Minister and the government for establishing this Capital Asset Retrofit Fund. It’s something we’ve talked about for a number of years. It provides for energy...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did note the Premier’s statement today that we must be responsible stewards of our environment so our land and water can continue to sustain future generations. Indeed, it’s future generations that we’re talking about here.

This morning in Durban, the Canadian youth delegation was kicked out of the talks because of their civil disobedience. The Canadian Youth Coalition, of course, includes some residents of the Northwest Territories that I’m very proud of. They stood up during the talks, turned around and on the backs of their sweatshirts or T-shirts were the words...

Thank you. I appreciate that response. Still, given that and given that we are one of the richest countries in the world – and indeed on average one of the richest regions in Canada – how can this government justify doubling our greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels or 66 percent from 2005, 66 percent-plus, when we need to reduce by 25 to 40 percent by 2020? How can we justify that and expect other partner jurisdictions around the world to reduce their emissions when they’re in a much poorer and more strident state? Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I call upon all concerned residents to let all orders of government know that they want prompt, effective and timely action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions based on the accepted science. Our leadership has recognized that federal action is insufficient, that sub-national governments like us must provide the leadership needed. To fail in this commitment would be to fail our people. I am looking for that leadership. Mahsi.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I suppose one last one is, I’m again very appreciative of the Capital Asset Retrofit Fund program but it is quite a comedown, quite a modest effort compared to the extraordinary $15 million a year that we enjoyed for energy projects in the 16th Assembly as made available through careful planning and hard work, I’m sure. Is there a plan to seek those sorts of resources as our fiscal situation hopefully improves early in the term here?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate the responses there. I just want to confirm the Minister of Finance’s information was that we were just shy of $1 billion. I suspect that we were under $1 billion at division and we adopted this $500 million at that time. If that’s the case, then obviously our budget has gone up probably much greater than 30 percent, with no change in our debt limit. Maybe I’ll stop there. Briefly, if the Minister could just confirm that I got that right.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, December 9, 2011, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that this Legislative Assembly urges the Government of Canada to recognize the special implications that Bill C-10 will have for the Northwest Territories;

And further, that this Legislative Assembly urges the Government of Canada to put in place measures to mitigate the costs of Bill C-10 to the Government of the Northwest Territories for additional court time, legal aid services, incarcerations and corrections...

Thank you. Again, given what we know and given what’s required, will the Minister commit to developing a firm track of actions to achieve the necessary 25 percent or greater reductions from 1990 levels in our emissions by 2020? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up from my statement earlier today with questions for the Minister of the Environment. I’d like to ask the Minister if he does indeed agree with the science that has overwhelmingly been stated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that global emission must be reduced by at least 25 to 40 percent by 2020 from the levels in 1990. Thank you.