Kevin O'Reilly

Merci, Monsieur le President. I wish to table the following document entitled "Environment and Climate Change Canada Technical Paper on the Federal Carbon Pricing Backstop." Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I am worried about the liability that is on the ground now, and clearly, security that we have in place does not cover that. There is a $7 million shortfall, and I did not really hear a plan from the Minister to deal with it. I know that, as I mentioned earlier today, the surface lease for the site is in overhold tenancy. If our government moves to extend or renew the surface lease for the site, we may incur some additional liability. Will the Minister commit that he is going to seek legal advice to ensure that, by dealing with that lease in some way, it is not going to make us responsible for...

Merci, Monsieur le President. Earlier today, I spoke about the current unsecured environmental liabilities at the Prairie Creek site. There are numerous buildings and pieces of infrastructure at the site that would require remediation. Can the Minister of Lands tell me the current amount of financial security held under the surface lease and water licence for this site? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President.

Conclusion

Public engagement and transparency of standing committees is being improved on an ongoing basis. New methods and technology will arise over time; change is the only constant. Standing committees must adapt to their current circumstances and provide timely, useful information to the public in convenient ways. The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures is confident that the work done in this area over the past year represents a significant improvement on what was previously available, and establishes a sound foundation for future evolution.

Mr. Speaker...

Merci, Monsieur le President. Canadian Zinc's Prairie Creek project is now in its seventh environmental assessment, which makes that a new record for project splitting. The project has eaten up an enormous amount of public resources and time. The environmental assessment of Canadian Zinc's all-weather road began in May 2014, and it is now more than three years long. An interesting timeline on the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board's website shows that the company has been responsible for about 26 months of the ongoing review and has caused numerous delays. This process is...

Thanks, Mr. Chair, and I beg forgiveness from the Minister here. I had a constituent complaint not that long ago from a veterinarian. Are veterinarians covered under this legislation? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Merci, Monsieur le President. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, June 1st, 2017, I will move that Bill 30, Health Statutes Amendment Act (Cremation Services), be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That is a tough act to follow, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. I think I actually heard the word "will," not "may," but it is hard to say with the Minister. I look forward to chatting with him offline about that. That is one thing that, when we start to touch the surface lease in some way, we could be incurring some liability, but he is going to get something even sooner on his desk, perhaps. The Prairie Creek All-Season Road is going through an environmental assessment, as I said, and I don't want to put him in a difficult spot here.

That report of environmental assessment is going to land on his desk...

I appreciate the response from the Minister, and that agrees with his written response to a written question I asked last year in the House. In doing some extra research, I noted that the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, in a June 14, 2013, decision on a water licence and land use permit by Canadian Zinc, found that the environmental liability at the site for what is there on the ground right now is about $9 million. We only hold a little over $2 million. That is a $7 million gap, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell me: what is his department doing to close that security gap between the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Mr. Fraser Oliver, president of the NWT Teachers' Association and Kam Lake resident. He just will not go away, and I am really pleased about that. Keep it up. Thank you.