Brendan Bell

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Member is referring specifically to our ability to reject the costs that it will have internally for our own GNWT assets. We do have a program that the Minister of Finance referred to yesterday, the Energy Conservation Program. This program does provide financial assistance to territorial and community-funded departments, boards, agencies, non-profits, to undertake capital projects that will result in long-term reductions in the usage of electricity, heat, energy, water, et cetera. I think it is a very good program. There are a number of examples that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All this is predicated on us getting a successful agreement with the federal government. In the end, the $90 million is federal money and they could determine that there are strings to be attached or that there are criteria to be met. We have given them our preference and our suggestions; we think they are strong because the three territories are in agreement. We hope that they will see the merit in doing it in this manner. At this point I don’t have enough detail to tell the Member exactly the mechanism that we would use, other than to say if we get our hands on...

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...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Opportunities for Prosperity, Community Futures Program 2003-04 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled NWT Development Corporation 2003-2004 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First, I want to give the Member every assurance that we have wildlife officers and the department has wildlife officers in all the regions, and we believe they do a very good job of enforcing the regulations under the Wildlife Act. We acknowledge that it is a difficult job. It’s a vast territory and admittedly we don’t have as many wildlife officers as we would like to, but we are constrained by resources. We were both surprised and, I suppose, concerned that barren ground caribou arrived so soon so close to Yellowknife and on the Ingraham Trail; concerned about...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member indicates, the A and R plan under the terms of the federal water licence is under review by the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. They have formed a working group to review the draft plan put forward by the mine, by Miramar.

We are sitting on that working group and we also indicated our support for some public process. They have had public meetings and hearings on the draft A and R plan. It is my understanding that Miramar has now taken some of that input and the recommendations from the working group. They have taken that away and are revising...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member indicated, I was able to meet with the Minister of DIAND in Ottawa on September 1st and had a fair bit of discussion around the cleanup at Giant Mine. We discussed the issues in-depth and I was very impressed, he was well briefed on the file. He indicated that it was a priority for the department to see this cleanup move forward. The last time I stood in the House and answered the Member’s questions in this regard, he had some concern about the level of dialogue, I believe, between our officials and DIAND officials. I am getting weekly updates from my...