Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While many aspects of hydraulic fracturing are specific to a well’s location, some technical features of this process are universal. Hydrocarbon-bearing shale is found at least one and a half kilometres below surface. A resounding message that the committee heard from all presenters on the study tour is that sufficient well casing, cementing and depth are critical to protecting groundwater and human and environmental health during any horizontal drilling operation. Inadequacies in these areas are among the leading causes of groundwater contamination in shale plays in...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Now is the Minister willing to move the capital plan up? Thank you.

---Laughter

Thank you. He spoke for about five minutes, but I think he said no.

I’d like to ask the Minister, is a treatment centre for the Northwest Territories even on the 20-year capital plan, the capital needs assessment. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The committee wishes to consider Bill 5, Legal Aid Act, and Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Judicature Act.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to add some context to the motion. I love our consensus-style government. This issue was raised by a young lady from Fort Simpson in July or August when she wanted to give her income statements to the Housing Corporation for public housing rent. She contacted me right away, as her MLA, and said, they started using my child tax benefit as income. She said she doesn’t understand. That money is for milk and pampers; it’s not for rent.

That is the whole purpose of our subsidy programs territorially and federally. It is about assisting those that need it. Here...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave earlier today.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, I think the importance of this is that it should be looked into as soon as possible, because we do have a budget session coming up in February/March and the time for planning is now.

This is going to be my final question. Can the Minister give it a priority item, assess the situation and come up with, hopefully, a plan to have that in this upcoming budget? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to ask the Minister of Education some questions. I was recently, through my constituency tour, in Fort Liard. I often visit the schools. I am not too sure about the design of the school and parking area, but residents have been stating over the past three years that there is limited parking space at the Echo-Dene School in Fort Liard. I would like to know if the Minister is aware of this situation. Thank you.

Madam Chair, I move we report progress.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m actually appalled by the resistance of the Minister on this motion to make changes. In fact, Cabinet shouldn’t abstain, they should vote against it if they are that adamant that they don’t want to make another change. The motion is quite simple, Mr. Speaker. They didn’t have it as income before. The ECE subsidy program doesn’t include the child tax benefit. So we are just asking them to revisit this, look at it. If you want to be consistent, reasonable and fair to our constituents and residents of the Northwest Territories, then you should apply the rules right...