Bob Bromley

Alternatives North raised a question about Section 53(2) where it gives Cabinet the power to prescribe fees for access to public registry. I have to agree that it sounds like a real oddity and I think that’s the way they phrased it. Essentially, public access should always be free and not requiring payments or fees. Why in the world was this in there? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be supporting the motion and I appreciate my colleague bringing this forward.

There are, indeed, commercial opportunities out there. I myself have picked mushrooms commercially in the Northwest Territories and sold them here. There is a market out there. There are a number of species of mushrooms, several types of morels and pine mushrooms of note, matsutakes, which are very well known to the Japanese tourists that we have and are highly valued. Even to have one of those at Thanksgiving, or the equivalent of Thanksgiving, is a big deal and worth a lot. There are...

Could the Minister point out where that is in the legislation?

Does this act, the Waters Act, offer any guidance or direction for the development of regulations with respect to fees for the use of water? Thank you.

Indeed, transportation is one. The other one I said was industry, which is probably even bigger, and we all know there are flares happening right now in the Sahtu. Perhaps the Minister could tell us what emissions are coming out of those flares.

As of the 1st of April, the GNWT will have new authorities under devolution. This should give us some new tools to deal with greenhouse gases in these sectors that we typically ignore right now.

Will the next Greenhouse Gas Strategy include actions based on our new toolbox? For example, will we be looking at regulating emissions from industry using...

Not surprisingly at all, I think I’m interested. I know a lot of people who are interested but they seem to be being left out, along with myself, from this. So I’m asking for the public that’s not represented by Aboriginal governments. I’m very happy Aboriginal governments are there, like I said. I think they could play an important role in accountability here and decision-making.

I don’t know if the Premier didn’t understand my question, but I’ll ask it again. Thank you.

Yes, thanks, Madam Chair. Sections 1 and 104 are interesting in that initially the ENR Minister will be providing staff to the Inuvialuit board rather than the board hiring its own staff, then at some point 104 will come into force and they can hire their own staff. I am just wondering why do we have to go through these steps. Can’t we just have the board do its own thing right away? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I’d like to note that our current Greenhouse Gas Strategy was released in 2011 and runs until 2015. According to the document, the GNWT is going to start work on a new Greenhouse Gas Strategy in 2014.

As we begin this work, could the Minister tell us how the success of the past plan will be evaluated?

The next few days would be great. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am wondering again why the Inuvialuit have their own water board at the same time the government is doing away with the regional land and water boards in the Mackenzie Valley. I would like to note that members of the board also get to nominate their chair, section 14, I believe it is, unlike the MVRMA where the chair is selected by the Minister. Thank you.