Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yeah, this is a motion that was moved in committee. The Minister at the time said that he was not able to concur with it because we had basically run out of time. If people have views about this, I would appreciate hearing them, but it was supported by committee in during the clausebyclause review.

What this essentially does is add a few items to the list of information that is to be made public, and those are the forest harvesting agreements, and permits and licenses that would be issued for nonpersonal use.

We heard from the department that they didn't want all the...

Yeah, thanks, Madam Chair. So despite the previous discussion, I support this bill. I support it as well. I did serve as the chair of the waste reduction and recovery advisory committee for 11 years. The staff do great work on this area within the department, and that's why we have beverage container deposits now is because of the work that the department and the committee did. And it's now, of course, been extended to electronics recycling and I understand some other waste streams are being considered, which is all good stuff. And this does create jobs in local communities because they have...

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. Of course, we've actually already incorporated net zero as a target in the carbon tax that's been imposed. But many at the recent conference expressed concerns with the poor communications and accountability around GNWT's carbon tax, governance and direction at the NWT power corp, and need for communitybased renewable energy solutions rather than mega projects.

Can the Minister explain how the NWT is going to transition from a fossil fuel importer to energy resiliency while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and drawing in the...

Yeah, thanks, Madam Chair. This is a huge long list of regulation making authority. In fact, I think it's probably longer than any other bill I've ever seen. Maybe I'm wrong but this is pretty close.

One of them here, z.01.1 talks about wildlife prevention and preparedness plans, making regulations around those and how those plans might get provided to affected governments. And I'm just wondering if this authority really covers in any way the situation where a plan a wildlife prevention and preparedness plan might change during the course of a year. Can I get an answer from the sorry, I'll...

Sorry, I got caught short there for a second. I'm trying to gulp down some water. I want to thank the Minister for that because there was a much longer list than what would have been what appears now in the bill.

But with that, Madam Chair, I do want to move a motion to amend clause 14.1, and I'd like to move it as follows: That clause 14.1 of Bill 74 be amended by

(a) renumbering that clause as subclause 14.1(1);

(b) deleting paragraph (d) and (e) of that renumbered subclause and substituting the following:

(d) any forest harvesting agreement entered into under subsection 25(1);

(e) any...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill 74 be amended by adding the following after clause 128:

128.1. (1) Subject to subsection (2), before making regulations under this Act, the Minister shall

(a) ensure that there is an opportunity for public engagement by

(i) publishing a copy of the proposed regulations on a website maintained by the Government of the Northwest Territories, and.

(ii) ensuring that a reasonable period of time has been allotted for receiving feedback on the proposed regulations; and

(b) consider any feedback provided on the proposed regulations under paragraph (a).

(2)...

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I didn't hear him actually use the word "crisis" or "emergency". At the recent Our Energy and Climate Future in a Changing World conference in July, some members of the public service used the words "crisis" and "emergency". So can the Minister tell us what the next steps are in GNWT's climate crisis approach as the current one continues to fail? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Yeah, thanks, Madam Chair. So a lot of fancy words to say that zoning bylaws, this addition would include zoning bylaws within the scope of legally binding land use plans or any legally binding land use plan and zoning or zoning bylaw that is applicable. So it's expanding that scope of what a legally binding land use plan is to include zoning bylaws. So I think it recognizes that and it's in response to what community governments have asked committee to do and recognizes their jurisdiction and authority. This is not imposing anything on anybody. This is just recognizing that community...

Yeah, okay, thanks. Well, we've got it on the public record, then, that it's not the intention of the department to issue licenses or permits on privately owned lands or lands where there might be surface leases. And, yeah, I think that would really be incompatible with and some of these may be compatible activities. I don't know. But if somebody has surface interests, I think it would only be reasonable that, somehow, they get engaged before licenses and permits would be issued. So I'm glad to get that assurance on the record. And I will have some more detailed questions about some other...

Yeah, thanks, Madam Chair. I appreciate that explanation. But I don't think I heard anything about what lessons were learned as a result of the public engagement on the bill and how those will be applied on the regulations making forward. So would someone like to respond to that, please. Thank you.