Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask a question sort of related to the Wind Energy Conference. As with any discussion, the proof is in the pudding. It depends on the action that comes out of it. I think a number of people here have been very pleased to hear about the Wind Energy Conference. Are the Ministers committed to following up with actions, and programs, and funding to establish wind energy where appropriate in the North after this conference? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to assure you that there is absolutely nothing hypothetical about the situation I am presenting. I understand that the department initiated a review towards considering whistleblower protection. Has this review resulted in the intention to develop such legislation? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, an unsettling number of employees suffer from what can be called a toxic workplace, one where workers literally live in fear of a tyrannical supervisor. These workers can be so scared and oppressed that they find themselves unable to securely and safely communicate their situation to those who can help, at least not without risk of severe repercussions. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents, I would like to ask the Minister of Human Resources how this department plans to detect and deal with these pockets of fear and oppression that exists now within...

I would just like to hear the Premier say the word environment, if I could.

---Laughter

That is all I ask, Mr. Chair. I don’t think I ever heard it. I would just like to hear it.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to respond to the Premier’s sessional statement and I would like to start by building a strong foundation and hitting some common ground.

First of all, there were main points that I strongly agree with, but the first one I would like to touch on is a sustainable future means looking far beyond a four-year horizon, and that’s repeated later in the statement. I would like to challenge all Members here, all Members of the House, do we have the far-sightedness that this requires.

The second point I would like to emphasize is working together. That’s something all...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thought our Premier said he wasn’t musical. I never heard such music. Thank you.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I really will be brief. Just kidding. I appreciated those points that Mr. Ramsay raised and I also have questions about those migrant workers. I can’t understand our growing the economy when we can’t already have people to serve coffee in a coffee shop.

I just wanted to briefly say one additional thing. Ms. Bisaro mentioned the rate of violence we are dealing with in the North. By far the vast majority of that is violence against women. I think really a prevention way of dealing with that that we need to get more active on is gender-based analysis. I would like to see us...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Small business accounts for a large proportion of employment in both Canada and the North, but it could do much more for northerners. Mr. Speaker, we seem to focus on mega development by a few of the world’s largest corporations. The result is a raging but precarious economy that causes us to import workers from afar while local businesses suffer. The main benefit of money is pipelined to the South and local dollar gains are not embedded within a healthy society.

Small businesses provide a venue for self-sufficiency and self-reliance and ways for owners and operators to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of industry, trade and investment, Mr. McLeod, and it’s to follow up on the renewable energy statement I made this morning. The Pembina Institute put out a report, “Five Years of Failure,” documenting how volunteer efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions does not work. It certainly didn’t work on its own; we need some regulation. I don’t believe we’ve ever required any industrial project to provide even one percent of their energy needs from renewable energy sources. This obviously is clearly way out of date. Is the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NWT Wind Energy Conference opens today in Tuktoyaktuk. In recognition of this event, I want to talk about renewable energy and what it can mean to the Northwest Territories.

Wind energy is about one form of renewable energy, which includes hydro, solar, ground source heat, and biomass such as wood or peat. Renewable energy is carbon neutral; that is, it produces very few greenhouse gas emissions which cause climate change. Almost all our greenhouse gas emissions come from fossil fuel energy such as oil, gas or coal. Renewable energy is also a form of...