Brendan Bell

Thank you. I think the Minister has already indicated some of the criteria around the program, matching dollars from the organization and the money can’t be used for administrative purposes, there is a requirement for record keeping. The contribution agreement I imagine is typical of the contribution agreements that we’ve done with this program. There’s a separate bank account set up to administer the account. There’s a requirement of an equal contribution to come from the organization. There are payment terms set out. There’s a list of eligible expenses. Then there’s provision for audits...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, as one of the funding partners, we are intimately involved I would say on a daily basis with the work the secretariat is carrying out. Obviously we do receive feedback as to how that work is continuing. Work is underway, work is going forward. We rely, I think as the Member knows, on communities and regional groups to identify the candidate areas for protection. We are looking to protect culturally and ecologically-sensitive areas and so this really is grassroots community driven, but, yes, we are involved on a daily basis and do receive feedback as to the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an initiative that we’ve been working on for some time now and we do currently fund some of the work that the secretariat is doing, but the bigger piece of work that we’re looking to fund is in the neighbourhood of $1.5 million over five years. We’ve been expecting that the federal government would come forward with their money. The NGOs have already indicated that they’ve got the money ready to go and we impacted the three partners in the PAS. We still don’t have a firm signal and firm commitment from the federal government as to their contribution. I...

Thank you. I think I understand the Member; play a role, but don’t roll over. I think the Member makes a very good point. When it comes to the interests of the people of the Northwest Territories if not us, then who would represent those? I think the Member is quite right. It is up to this government to make sure that the interests of the Northwest Territories are met through this project. I think we can do that. We take our role as interveners very seriously. I can give the Member that assurance. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is right and certainly we can’t do this work in a vacuum. We need to both consider the interdepartmental issues, many departments, not just RWED involved in this work to make sure that people benefit and to make sure we’re ready. As we develop the socioeconomic agreement, obviously we’ve got to involve all the regional aboriginal groups and the public right across the Territories. So as the Member knows, our committee will do some work in the regions and have some discussions. I think it’s important that we get out there and hear what people think....

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we can see this as a comprehensive plan for the entire territory. We know that this pipeline isn’t confined to one region, one community, one area. We have to understand that the impacts are throughout the whole region, the cumulative impacts of the project. The impacts on all these regions are important to take into consideration. So, yes, there are other processes underway that are driven by land claims organizations and those are important as well, but this is one that’s very comprehensive and involves all of the groups up and down the valley. Because of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The agreement, as laid out some time ago, sees three partners to the funding: three NGOs, the federal government and the GNWT. The three NGOs are WWF, Canada Parks and Wilderness Society, and Ducks Unlimited. Their commitment is for $5.9 million. RWED has committed that we would try to seek $1.5 million over five years, but that was contingent on the federal government stepping to the plate with their contribution, which is the lion’s share of the funding. As I’ve said, we don’t have that commitment yet, but we are working to see what kinds of pieces of this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to provide Members with an update on the Mackenzie gas project and our ongoing preparations for this exciting development project.

As the Premier stated in his sessional statement at the opening of the session, the Mackenzie gas project is a key to the long-term strategic interests of the Northwest Territories and the socioeconomic future of our territory. The Government of the Northwest Territories remains committed to this project, to the joint panel process established to review it and to ensuring that northerners...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 16, Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill establishes the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation. The purpose of the corporation is to support the economic objectives of the Government of the Northwest Territories by encouraging the creation and development of business enterprises and by providing information and financial assistance to, and making investments in, such enterprises. This bill also...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will, as a government, make interventions on behalf of the public of the Northwest Territories at the environmental review process for areas under our mandate, obviously wildlife and other areas. So, yes, we will be interveners in the process. Thank you.