Daryl Dolynny

Item 2, Executive, appropriation authority required, $5.608 million.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Human Resources, appropriation authority required, $13.139 million.

Madam Groenewegen.

I thank the Minister for his response. Earlier today we heard from the Premier about his working towards a transboundary water management agreement for the Mackenzie River Basin, an initiative I know that everyone in this room would agree as something important. That said, without the proper chemical testing, what is the government using as a baseline for moving forward?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I just enjoyed a nice glass of water before me here and I know many Members did the same thing. The reason why I felt comfortable drinking this water is I know it was tested. I knew there was some decorum in the water. I knew there was some scientific value in the water that I drank. Unfortunately, upon review of MACA’s 2010 GNWT Report on Drinking Water, which I made reference to today in my Member’s statement, my spidey sense in terms of my chemistry background, a lot of warning bells went off. I was very much alarmed to know that we weren’t, as a government...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I wish to comment on MACA’s 2010 GNWT Report on Drinking Water which was released in September 2011. Fundamentally, water quality and its management primarily remains a territorial jurisdiction. Arguably, both federal and territorial governments are responsible to work together under the terms and guidelines for Canadian drinking water quality which has been maintained by Health Canada since 1968. Responsibility for the creation and updating of these guidelines falls to four territorial departments – Health and Social Services, ENR, MACA, Public Works and Services...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, thank you to the Minister. As I said earlier, there are four territorial departments involved with the quality of testing of our water: Health and Social Services, ENR, MACA and Public Works. So the question to the Minister is: Who out of these four will be reporting back to this House in terms of the quality of water testing that is missing in this report? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the Minister’s response. However, I guess the question is: Can we really expect these testing results to occur? I’m not hearing a timeline so that the residents of the Northwest Territories feel assured that their water is at least being tested for chemicals.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize our good friend Mr. Ed Jeske, and accompanying him today, the lovely Vivian Squires. Thank you for coming out. I have one of my constituents here who is no stranger to the Assembly, working here in the past as a constituency assistant, Mrs. Carla Hanvold-Walker. Thank you.

Thanks for the Minister’s initial response. Even in its early stages we are hearing from certain groups saying they weren’t consulted during this Arctic review process. Can I ask the Minister of ITI why that was so? Thank you.