David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That question was raised with Minister Lebel when we had the meeting with him and it wasn’t confirmed nor denied whether they would be willing to look at 75/25. Our belief is that that will be the case. He didn’t say otherwise, so we’re going on that premise that it will be 75/25.

ITI certainly was working with the other departments. When you look at this year’s budget you’ll see a number of items in there specific to the Sahtu. That is a direct result of what is happening in the Sahtu.

The government has had to react and take action. Working with the other departments, we’ve identified areas where we need to be looking at putting more resources. We have done that.

I believe this is still relatively early days in the development of the Canol shale oil play. Those wells will be tested. If they have a commercial rate flow and get into production, that will change many...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member. That was a good statement that he had earlier.

Certainly, we need to be looking at what is happening in the Sahtu. I know I answered a number of questions today from Mr. Yakeleya regarding what is happening in the Sahtu. We need to look at opportunities. I mentioned to Mr. Yakeleya about the Economic Opportunities Strategy that is underway. I think it’s a good opportunity to put the concerns of the region of Nahendeh and the Sahtu on the table and see what we can do.

I know with Voisey’s Bay, I believe, it was after the mine was developed at Voisey’s...

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier to Member Yakeleya, in any discussion I’ve had with industry – and I’ve had a number of discussions with industry, the companies that are doing work in the Sahtu – there’s a genuine interest by them to have infrastructure put in place. All you have to do is look at Husky constructing a 40 kilometre all-weather road on the other side of the Mackenzie River into one of their ELs to see that there’s some commitment there. As this moves forward, as those wells are proven up and if they are going to be brought into production, certainly industry is going to be a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The money that we are going to be receiving from the federal government to construct the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk road is earmarked for that purpose. The communities in the Beaufort-Delta have worked many years at securing that funding, working with our government. Our intention is to construct the Inuvik-Tuk portion as the first portion of the Mackenzie Valley Highway.

In response to Member Yakeleya’s questions earlier, should commercialization happen and these wells be brought into production, that is going to change a lot of things in the central Mackenzie. Once...

I’m familiar with the situation in Voisey’s Bay, and it was ACOA, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, that set up a development zone in and around Voisey’s Bay.

Here in the Northwest Territories the landscape is going to change. We’re advancing talks on devolution. Eventually, the Northwest Territories government would be able to make a determination like that. Currently, discussions would have to take place with the federal government on a special economic zone through, perhaps, CanNor. Those are discussions that could take place.

I know the issue was raised, certainly with the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do hope the Member’s correct. I think the Canol shale oil play in the central Mackenzie is sustainable, a real development that could be taking place for generations in the Sahtu. We look forward to trying to manage this in the early stages.

Companies are there drilling, trying to get a better idea of what is in the ground. We understand there are, perhaps, billions of barrels of oil in the ground in the central Mackenzie, but companies have to find out what the rate of flow is on those wells. That work is continuing. There are more wells being drilled this winter.

Whe...

Mr. Speaker, I spoke earlier of the Diamond Policy Framework that the last government brought in, one that I pushed very hard to see happen. If the Regular Members want the government to take another look at the Diamond Policy Framework, I would be more than happy to work with the chair of the EDI and the EDI committee to see that through.

Certainly, from where I stand, the previous government did a lot of work in this area. The Diamond Policy Framework is there and it states quite clearly what we need to do and how we are to go about seeking that investment, and that’s exactly what we’re doing...

This government is taking its direction from the Diamond Policy Framework, which the last government brought into place in 2010 under the Premier in his capacity as the former Minister of ITI. I remember quite clearly pushing the last government quite hard to get that policy framework in place, which would establish rules of engagement for the government going forward.

Quite clearly, that Diamond Policy Framework states that the government will seek investment in a secondary diamond industry. Gone are the days when government would put taxpayers’ dollars at risk in the development of a...

I thank the Member for bringing that to our attention, and I’ll certainly have the diamond policy folks at ITI act on that immediately. Thank you.