Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Constituents are saying their home heating and power bills are higher than they’ve ever been. Just last week I tabled a petition from residents of the NWT calling for more action on climate change.

Government expense is increasing with increasing damage to infrastructure. We all know that oil is just going to get more expensive and that climate change is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. It is our dependence on fossil fuels that is creating this crisis.

The Chinese character for crisis is a combination of the symbols for danger and opportunities. Today I’d...

That would, I think, be appropriate and add some transparency and predictability that would support the public in its oversight role.

My last point here is there doesn’t again seem to be mandatory requirements for closure and reclamation plans. Could I get a comment on that? Thank you.

That’s fine for a legal person to say, Madam Chair, but we’re talking here in this House about what’s right and what’s wrong, I think. How will that be handled if there’s an improper contaminant being released legally, that would, I assume in some court of appeal I could argue is a real thing and that’s what’s meant to be dealt with by the Environmental Rights Act. By now negating the Environmental Rights Act, you’re leaving our public hanging when injustices are, in fact, happening. How do we deal with that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise at the earliest opportunity after reviewing unedited Hansard from yesterday to raise a point of order against Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Miltenberger said to me in my proposed amendment to a motion, and I quote from yesterday’s unedited Hansard, page 50: “…if it’s not outright duplicitous, it’s friggin’ double standard. And I withdraw the friggin’.”

Mr. Speaker, House Rule 23 states it’s against orders of the House, under (i), to impute false or hidden motives to another Member; under (j), charges another Member with uttering a deliberate falsehood; and, finally, (k)...

I certainly wouldn’t disagree with that intent. There seems to be some other interpretation of this. Maybe I can just ask. Is there any granting of immunity to the GNWT here for regulations good or bad? Maybe a response to both of those. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes, I do see that. I’m just wondering if I can have a plain language interpretation of what that actually means. I know that I’m speaking to a legal professional here. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, thanks for that response. I think it was Section 19 we were talking about. He said 17, but I’m sure he meant 19. In fact, the point I’m raising is that that’s not good enough. They should be required to hold public hearings on any matter. Again, I’m not surprised at mirroring federal legislation but I’m trying to raise a point that we can talk about later, but that’s my view on that.

Section 27 allows the Minister to set up an oil and gas committee under his or her direction. Five-members-only criteria for appointment seems to be two members have to know something about oil and gas...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the first whereas mentioned in the motion, it’s noted that the federal Bill C-15 already provides flexibility on extending the Legislative Assembly’s length of term for the 18th and subsequent Legislative Assemblies and this is the crux of the matter. To avoid questions of ethics and avoid undemocratic stances, we as politicians should not be changing legislation that might provide benefits to ourselves, especially without clear direction from the electorate.

Yet this motion proposes that we circumvent normal public process and change both territorial and federal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I almost have no question left here.

Fresh produce is one of the largest contributors to the high cost of living, as I know the Minister is aware of in the North. We’ve got some very good people finding ways to make this happen and these are new ways.

Will the Minister commit to supporting the actual people and organizations that are, indeed, in place right now and making it happen and dealing with these disabling barriers in time for this season? Mahsi.

Thanks to the Minister. I will remind the Minister, it is planting season, believe it or not, as we speak. When he spoke on the 25th of February, the Minister said it is important we maximize any opportunity we have to get people involved with the agricultural sector here in the NWT.

Recognizing that new approaches and technology could substantially increase production from small, intensively farmed plots and especially given our modest markets, how does refusing to help people because their operations are too small help maximize opportunities for them? Mahsi.