Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Madam Chair. I would like to start with the waste reduction line here. My colleague from Kam Lake asked some questions, and we found out it was for some work on the agricultural waste. Are there some studies or reports or anything that came out of this work that the Minister can share with this side of the House and, perhaps even better, the public? Thanks, Madam Chair.

I'm a bit perplexed at what I just heard. We changed this legislation in the last Assembly so we would give the Minister the authority to impose terms and conditions to get northern benefits; otherwise, we just give the company a significant discovery licence and they can sit on it for 15 years and do nothing. Is this Minister going to use her discretion to impose some terms and conditions to get northern benefits, or is she just going to give Husky Energy a blank cheque?

Thanks, Madam Chair. You already have one vote. I appreciate that. I want to ask about work for caribou habitat protection. Where would I find it in the budget here? I see that there is a habitat and environmental assessment line. Is that where I would find money, how much, and what is actually being done to protect, I'll just pick on one herd, the Bathurst caribou herd?

Thanks, Madam Chair. I appreciate the Minister saying that. I pleaded with the previous Minister in the last Assembly to get more resources to get the work done, and I continue to do that. I will probably be here a year from now asking the same question. I want to move on to the Community Harvester Assistance Program. I think this is the place to talk about this. It's kind of hard to know. That program is very effective in terms of building food security. It gets people out on the land doing stuff that they like, and it hasn't been increased for a number of years. We had understood that it was...

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Last week, the Minister revealed that she is working on issuing a significant discovery licence for Husky Energy under the amended Petroleum Resources Act. This will be the first significant discovery licence issued under our improved regime. Can the Minister tell us whether she's going to consult Sahtu communities, Indigenous governments, and Regular MLAs before issuing the significant discovery licence? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I will put in a good word for you guys right now with the Finance Minister that I want them to approve that, and if they don't, they will have to answer to me. I am deadly serious. These herds are in a very, very desperate state. One of the most reliable ways that we have to determine their health is through the calving ground surveys. If the work is not done, we have no idea what's going on with the overall population. I shouldn't say "no idea." Our ability to predict and project is diminished dramatically. I know I am talking to scientists about this, so they get this...

Thanks, Madam Chair. I appreciate that from the Minister. I'm a bit concerned that the core of ENR is starting to shrivel up again because this is what supports all the other work that the department does. I want to ask: the policy legislation communications line, there's no increase there yet. As I understand it, the department is doing work on the Forestry Act, the Environmental Protection Act, Waters Act, and Protected Areas Act. There's some work being done on regulations as I understand it. Where is the capacity of the department if there's no increased funding to do all of this work? Is...

Thanks, Madam Chair. How much does it cost, and where is it found in the budget? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thanks, Madam Chair. No, that all sounds good. Another intern position and increased travel to promote the Human Rights Commission, I'm all happy with that. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Nothing further. Thanks.