David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If there’s a way, there’s a will and, hopefully, there’s a lot of will on that side of the House, because, definitely, we have to find a solution to this problem. So, again, I’d like to ask the Minister to keep me informed as we proceed forward and try to find solutions to a major challenge for rural and remote communities. I’d like to ask the Minister, when was he expecting to have something going forward, especially in regard to the next phase in regard to the gravel program so that we can, hopefully, see a road built to that gravel source within the next short time...

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister for that answer, but I think the challenge is still there. He mentioned other communities. I know there are other communities that are having that problem, in regards to Tulita and Colville Lake. We are talking about building airports and other public infrastructure. One thing that we are really finding when you go through the capital plan process is solid waste sites for communities. In a lot of cases, the communities have to expand outward, but again you have to have gravel to build these solid waste sites to identify where those infrastructure...

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Tax Act. I would like to report that Bill 1 is ready for third reading. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize my dad. Mike Krutko is in the gallery. He is 94 years young. I noticed he drove over here today. Also, sitting beside my dad is Ed Jeske. Hi, Ed. And a friend of mine from Hay River, Rocky Simpson. Good to see you, Rocky.

Does committee agree that Bill 1 is ready for third reading?

---Bill 1 as a whole approved for third reading.

Clause 1.

---Clauses 1 through 4 inclusive approved.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Welcome, witnesses. Are there any general comments in regards to Bill 1? Detail?

Mr. Speaker, someone who has been involved in the Sahtu claim process knows that the ore body we are talking about has subsurface lands which are owned by the people of the Sahtu. They have ownership at the site that we are talking about around the existing ore body. So I mean it seems like this government is either snuffing us off or not taking us seriously. This is a major deposit with regard to one of the largest deposits in North America and yet we don’t seem to be interested. So I’d like to ask the Minister, can he report back to this House exactly what your department is doing to ensure...

The main ore body that they’re talking about processing or developing is in the Northwest Territories. Basically, facilities are being developed in the Yukon so they can avoid the environmental process that they have to go through under the Mackenzie Valley Resources Management Act. So, again, it looks to me like the developer is trying to avoid regulatory responsibility in the Northwest Territories. So I’d like to ask the Minister again, have you checked to see why it is that this developer out of Vancouver is avoiding the regulatory responsibility it has in the Northwest Territories under...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to request of the Minister if she could pass on the message to the residents of the Joe Greenland Centre and, more importantly, the staff of this transitional period, what the process is and, more importantly, the residents, patients and families that this process is out there. Get the message out and get those people aware that this change has taken place and make sure it’s open and transparent so everybody can take advantage of it. Mahsi.