Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. That's all I have for this activity. Thank you.

Merci, Madam la Presidente. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure on hydrogen as a power source for the NWT. I participated in a useful workshop for officials recently staged regarding this topic. I'd like to know from the Minister what role hydrogen will play in a new energy strategy and action plan for the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Yeah, thanks, Mr. Chair. So I guess I'll make a couple suggestions.

Can I get a commitment, then, out of the Minister to give us a briefing note on this? Because I've heard different ranges of kilometres. And if that briefing note could clarify land ownership and who's responsible for forest resources along the corridor of the road. The last thing I want to do is interfere with the Tlicho agreement in any way and their rights. But so can I get that commitment out of the Minister? And secondly, can he commit to actually communicate this with the public? Because it's been radio silence with the...

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister again for that, and I really do encourage him to share some information with this side of the House, because I haven't seen anything, and that's why I'm asking these questions today.

Clearly, there are issues with regard to notice and adequate engagement of GNWT when it came to unilateral decisions that were made to stop upstream water monitoring last year. The transboundary agreement, I'm not sure it's actually strong enough to protect us.

Can the Minister tell us what progress, if any, has been made on increasing and strengthening our...

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. Clearly, we're downstream of this mess, and there's a lot at stake with regard to potential impacts in water equality, aquatic life, and human health.

Can the Minister tell us what engagement this government has undertaken with Indigenous peoples and the public with regard to the development of a GNWT position and these regulations themselves? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le Président. I raised the issue of discharges from the Alberta tar sands tailings in our last sitting. I was very pleased to hear the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources say in the House, on December 7th, "we're not supportive of this presently or even in the future." By the way, I am still waiting for the research on the impacts of potential discharges that the Minister promised back then.

It is hard to get a sense of the scale of these tailings ponds. They cover 220 square kilometres and the volume would be the equivalent of Olympic swimming pools that would stretch...

Merci, Monsieur le President. I wish to table the following two documents: A Media Release from Alternatives North and Ecology North Comments on the Draft NWT Statement of Environmental Values.

And the second document: Alternatives North and Ecology North Comments on the Draft NWT Statement of Environmental Values. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. Maybe he can share some of that information with this side of the House. Although I can appreciate the Minister's enthusiasm in saying GNWT is not supportive of discharges, I don't think that that's a tenable position for much longer. A more appropriate standard might be something like that the premier of Alberta can drink the discharged water directly.

Can the Minister tell us what the GNWT position is on discharges from the tar sands tailings ponds? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources about the development of regulations for discharges from the Alberta tar sands. Can the Minister tell us what resources have been dedicated to this effort and whether we have the necessary expertise to fully engage the development of these regulations? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you.