Kevin O'Reilly

Yeah, thanks, Madam Chair. So while we were reviewing the bill, we had an opportunity to go to Fort Simpson. I want to thank the Environment and Climate Change staff that we met in Fort Simpson. We went to their office and we sat in a boardroom, and there was this great huge screen where they were able to flash up all kinds of information about fires. I'd never seen this stuff before. It was amazing. They had, like, real live time data and information there. They could tell you where planes were located, where they were going to be fire bombing and all kinds of stuff. It was amazing the amount...

Yeah, okay, thanks. I'm just going to tell one short story.

I had an opportunity to go on holiday into Nuuk, Greenland. It's a community of about 15,000 people. They have machines there. You push a pop bottle into it and cash comes out. They can do it in Nuuk, Greenland. You think we can be able to do it here. I know, yeah, we got harsh climate. So do those guys. So I'm glad the department's doing some work on this. And I've had lots of complaints. I know that the depot that is operating does its best to try to serve people. But they just can't keep staff. I don't know what's going on there...

Yeah, thanks, Madam Chair. So this is an addition to the bill that standing committee worked with the departmental staff and the technical working group on, and there's now a new requirement for an annual report from the forest superintendent.

Part of the reason for this was during committee's review of the bill and it was actually in submissions as well that there was some concern that this forest superintendent has really broad powers to help create or develop forest ecosystem management plans that needs to be done collaboratively with Indigenous governments and comanagement bodies...

Merci, Madam la Presidente. Yeah, I want to thank the deputy chair for the comments to introduce the report. I serve on the committee and want to thank my colleagues for the work that we collectively put into the bill. And I also want to especially thank those that made written submissions and appeared before us in Whati, Fort Simpson, and Enterprise. We had a lot to think about as a result of the submissions that we received, the input that we got at the public hearings as well.

I also want to recognize that the work of the committee was actually hampered by the fires. We had to cancel and...

Yeah. Thanks, Madam Chair. So where what specific section of the regulation making authority where what section am I going to find this authority to deal with what happens if someone wants to change their wildfire prevention and preparedness plans, and what happens with any change to plans with regard to how communities might be involved in reviewing or offering comments on them? Thanks, Madam Chair.

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...

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...

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...

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)...