Brendan Bell

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me first state that I share the Member’s concern and disappointment that we weren’t able to see a deal between the Leviev Group of Companies and BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto Diamonds. I was very enthusiastic when I learned of Leviev’s interest. It is obviously a very credible world player. I think we are looking for stability in this local industry. I believe somebody of Leviev’s calibre would be able to deliver that stability. Let me say that we have been involved in every stage of this process from soliciting interest in bids. We saw a number of those come...

If the Member is aware of specific incidents where he believes the Wildlife Act has been breached or the Forest Management Act or the Forest Protection Act, bring them to my attention if I’m the easiest point of contact, and I’ll make sure they’re investigated. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If people’s lives are at risk, if people’s cabins are being burned down, if people are being shot at, being threatened, they obviously have to call the RCMP. I would suggest they do that. In all seriousness, Mr. Speaker, we can sit down and work through some of these issues. The Member is well aware of our legislated requirements and our abilities and areas of responsibility. I think the Member has his response to the question, but, as I’ve indicated, we’ve talked to the RCMP and want to make sure that people’s lives aren’t at risk and that their safety is ensured and...

I would suggest to the Member that the RCMP will respond if people’s lives are in danger. If the Member rejects that, disputes that, we can certainly raise the issue with the Minister of Justice who can take it up with the RCMP. But to my knowledge I have not heard of people whose lives are in danger or that the RCMP has suggested that they’re not interested. Obviously it’s difficult to respond in a timely manner. It is a fairly long drive to the location the Member is speaking of, but I’ve never heard of the RCMP suggesting that they’re not interested or don’t want to. So if that’s the case...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a complex question. Obviously, it’s federal land. There’s the Forest Management Act. I have responsibilities under that act. There are issues around the highways out there and what you can and cannot do on highways that fall under DOT. There are MACA issues. There are environmental protection issues. I think it is collectively a problem that we have to come to grips with. It’s a very serious issue. I had asked our department to sit down and engage in a dialogue with the RCMP to talk about how we would respond to some of these concerns on the Ingraham Trail because...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely. It would be my pleasure to do so. I expect that our Sahtu regional staff are in current discussions with the planners of the conference. I know that we have a Sahtu regional petroleum advisor who was working on this initiative, as well. I will certainly ask them for an update. If there is anything I can do personally to lend my support, I am more than happy to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I’d like to thank the Member for the question. The Member knows and I thank him for his interest, but the Member will remember the meeting that we had in my office with some conference organizers who were proposing to do and put on just the type of conference that the Member is speaking of. That was back, I believe, Mr. Speaker, last October. We did have some discussion about what their plans were. I thought it was a very worthwhile initiative and agreed to help them in planning the conference and had provided them some funds to do so. We are waiting on an...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is certainly our position. The federal government had sought to, as I had mentioned, have a policy committee in Ottawa to determine which projects could qualify for this money. We don’t feel that is adequate. We feel those decisions need to be made in the North. We are prepared to defer the $10 million that would need to be spent this year in a very quick manner, we don’t think effectively, probably, and talk about the $90 million going forward. But that would be based on decisions made in the Northwest Territories for the Northwest Territories, and likewise...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to apologize, I would like some clarity from the Member. I am wondering if the Member is referring to the Northern Economic Development Strategy money, the $90 million that was referred to in the Throne speech. If that is the case, I can get into some detail. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the support for the Arctic Energy Alliance. I think the Member makes a very good point. This is something that is funded by a couple of government departments and by the Power Corporation. I think there has been a lot of good work over the years and a lot of merit in continuing to work with this organization to find solutions, especially in the case of this organization, primarily on demand side issues. As a government, we recognize that we do need an energy plan, both for supply side and demand side issues. We will be moving that agenda forward.

I...