Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to address one item that the Minister raised, and that was about emergency situations. The amendment would preserve the ability for the Minister to make exemptions in emergency situations, and I think that is a good thing. It is still in this amendment, but where an exemption is not based on an emergency situation, the issue is where that authority should rest. Should it rest with the Minister or Cabinet as a whole? I still believe that it should rest with Cabinet as a whole. It is a collective decision and make sure that all the Ministers are involved in that...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill 27 be amended by adding the following after clause 3:

3.1. The following is added after section 2.01:

The Commissioner in Executive Council may, in accordance with the regulations, exempt any person or class of persons, equipment or contaminant from all or any provision of this act or the regulations.

If the Commissioner in Executive Council intends to exempt any person or class of persons, equipment or contaminant from all or any provision of this Act or the regulations, the Commissioner in Executive Council shall

(a)

make notice of the proposed exemption...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. We have had quite a bit of discussion around this; so I will try to keep it brief. I think that everybody would agree that we have a common and shared interest in protecting the environment and making sure that we get this very first piece of postdevolution environmental legislation right and that it should really reflect best practises.

I think it is fair to say that the one remaining area where concerns have been expressed is around ministerial authority to grant exemptions from any or all provisions of the act and its regulations. During the public review process of...

I am glad he has done the heavy lifting and he has got his briefing binder on his desk now. I had asked about the scope of the review, and I believe he committed to some public engagements around that. Maybe I could get the Minister to commit to provide more information to this side of the House, and perhaps even to the public about what the scope of this review is going to entail?

Thanks again to the Minister, but I am not sure how REDI is going to make us anymore ready for resource development. As I said, REDI is clearly focused on promoting resource development, and that is a good thing, and it is something that ITI does very well. No question about that. I mentioned a number of other initiatives that would help build public confidence in our resource management decisions including: a science advisor to Cabinet; re-establishment of a round table on the environment and economy; completion of land use plans; completion of our protected areas. Why are these initiatives...

Thanks to the Minister for that response, and I guess we can agree to disagree, but somehow, I would hope that he would agree that building public confidence in our ability to manage resource development is something that we should be working towards. The REDI campaign, though, seems to be partially in response to the attempt to regulate fracking during the 17th Assembly. I could locate only two handouts or five pages on fracking and REDI materials, and there is not much discussion in there about impacts or tradeoffs.

In many other jurisdictions in Canada, they have done examinations of this...

Merci, Monsieur le President. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment received a briefing on the Resource and Energy Development Information campaign from Industry, Tourism and Investment last week. It was formally announced on June 22nd by the Minister when he said that it "will ensure these resources are used safely and sustainably." This sounds a lot like trying to build public confidence in our ability to develop resources in a responsible way. I would have thought that that should be our approach given the failed attempt to regulate hydraulic fracturing in the last...

Sorry. Yes, there is one other amendment here, Mr. Chair. It is just to tidy up what we did with the last amendment, and if I may move it, Mr. Chair, that subclause 4(2) of Bill 27 be deleted. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am not feeling really comfortable about where we are getting with this, and I know I have had constituents raising questions with me as well about how much this project is actually going to cost us. Maybe we could get a briefing or something from the Minister where he can more freely share information with us. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Minister, for that. It sounds like the engagement was well received, and I look forward to getting the compilation of it. I complimented the Minister earlier for the meeting that I attended here in Yellowknife.

Not unlike liquor distribution and sales, our response to cannabis legalization has to take into account that most communities are too small for their own sales outlets. It is likely that some legal arrangement for shipping of products will be needed, and there may be a desire for additional restrictions by local governments. How does the Minister plan to address these...