Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate this opportunity. Again, please forgive any overlap. I would like to start by just joining in on this love fest a little bit. I don’t want to be left out. I know the Minister is not used to these words, but all kidding aside, I think this department has really shown some progressive work and move to really tackle the issues. I think there has also been a happy coincidence with the return of housing to its proper home that has helped with collections and so on. I know the Minister fought hard for that under another hat. I think that has been a little bit...

I appreciate the Minister’s intent, but we are looking for performance here. We are talking hundreds of millions of dollars here in liabilities, and history, yes, we have history up the gazoo, Mr. Speaker, on failed collection of securities.

The two shortfalls I referred to in my first two questions exposed the GNWT to liability, as I mentioned, and amount to a backdoor subsidy to industry and a proven risk – a proven risk – to taxpayers. These securities are levied to cover real liabilities.

Will the Minister commit to vigorously pursuing these two outstanding, legally required securities and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. According to Tabled Document 127-17(5) – and my questions today are for the Minister of Lands – Canadian Zinc’s Prairie Creek Mine has a shortfall of $6 million in the amount of financial securities provided, evenly split between the environmental land use permits and water licence. The same tabled document indicates GNWT has failed to collect the startling $170 million-plus in securities related to the water licence related to Dominion Diamonds’ Ekati mine.

Can the Minister explain these shortfalls and indicate when the required security will be forthcoming? Mahsi.

Mr. Chair, the term I actually used was lifecycle renewals, a term I pulled out of the document, but essentially that is it. I’m just wondering: under our maintenance work that we are doing, the sort of catch-up to try and reduce our deferred maintenance, do we subscribe to those standards? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just had a couple of things. The first one is I am wondering where we are at with energy standards. I always bring that up. It is nice to get a progress report. I know that there has been some consideration at the national level to instigate new standards. I’m not exactly sure where we’re at with that. Maybe I will just start with that.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the Minister’s offer might be of interest to the Members, too, but just on those older units, I’m assuming they are beyond use, would we be expecting replacement units to be on the capital plan in the near future? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m just wondering, I see for Detah/Ndilo some major retrofits, but I’m wondering: is there a schedule for providing new public housing in Detah/Ndilo other than this fiscal year? I was disappointed not to see any there, and for Yellowknife, as per our earlier discussion.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s commitment. I realize that despite the fact that I’ve been talking about this for over a year, that this has just been dropped into this Minister’s lap and I appreciate that commitment.

To be failsafe, governments have learned securities held must be in the form of bankable instruments such as cash or irrevocable letters of credit. Other instruments such as surety bonds are basically promises to pay. I note that the form of security is missing for Dominion Diamond $42 million environmental security listed in the tabled document.

After the...

Mr. Speaker, how can you allow the responder to only answer to $6 million out of $176 million here? I’m wondering why the Minister has failed to answer that question. I’m perplexed here.

Federal failures to collect securities such as this are costing the Canadian public $8 billion. In addition to hundreds of millions in failed securities with this government, Dominion Diamonds have baulked at a condition proposed by the Wek’eezhii Land and Water Board to include a 90-day requirement for compliance with any revised water board security requirements. This, apparently, is also the position of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This week is Small Business Week in the Northwest Territories. Small business contributes much more than revenue and services to communities; they strengthen the social fabric and cultural identity of the places we call home. They are strong sponsors and volunteers.

Yellowknife is blessed with entrepreneurs who provide services, goods and employment enriching our lives and being good neighbours. Weledeh itself is rich with businesses that produce healthy ripples throughout the community. The arts, recycling, outdoor guiding and recreation, clothing, furniture...