Kevin O'Reilly

Thank you to the Premier for that report, to some sort of a plan coming forward on carbon pricing. Last week, I asked whether a modelling report on carbon pricing could be shared with the public and Regular MLAs. The response from the Premier was that it could be shared with committee at some unspecified date. Can the Premier tell me whether he is prepared to table the report in the House during the current session, and if not, why not?

Merci, Monsieur le President. Last Wednesday, the Premier gave the economic development and environment committee a briefing on progress towards an Energy Plan and Climate Change Strategic Framework. An update was provided on public engagement, and work on the Pan-Canadian Framework, that will form the national plan for climate change action.

The Premier and committee witnesses had very little to say about carbon pricing, as no one seems to have the clear lead. I had to pry for facts on cross-departmental collaboration, both there and in the Committee of the Whole review of the ENR budget last...

Merci, Monsieur le President. It was almost a month ago that I gave my reply to the budget address. So what has changed since then in terms of the 2017-18 budget now that we have an Appropriation Bill in front of us? I will review of the budget process, the offer from Cabinet, the amended budget, and draw some conclusions.

The budget process. Let no one be fooled, the reduction targets are driving this budget in an effort to build larger surpluses to spend on infrastructure projects or roads to resources. That has been Cabinet's fiscal and economic development strategy since the mandate was...

Thank you to the Premier. I think he actually answered this question rather than the last one, so maybe I will just take another try at it here. Last week, in the presentation to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment, the Premier mentioned that there was a modelling report that has been prepared on carbon pricing, and he offered to share that with committee, but he didn’t give a date for that. Can the Premier tell me whether he is prepared to table the report in this House during the current session, and if not, why not?

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Premier as the Chair of the Ministerial Energy and Climate Change Committee of Cabinet. As I said in my statement, I am concerned that we start the needed research and policy work in consultation with Regular MLAs and the public around carbon pricing. Since the carbon pricing system is inevitable, can the Premier say when Members will see a detailed plan for carbon pricing in the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I mentioned in my statement earlier today that the federal government is not living up to the spirit, intent, and letter of the Giant Mine Environmental Agreement by allowing the carryover of unspent funds to build up a research program into a permanent solution to the arsenic. Is the Minister aware of this issue, and what is he doing to address this problem? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur le President. On February 6th, I made a Member's statement about the Giant Mine Oversight Board and its office opening here in Yellowknife. I described the two main functions of the board, sound technical oversight of the Giant Mine Remediation Project and a research program.

This project was sent to an environmental assessment based on public concerns. One of the main issues was the absence of any commitment or funding for ongoing research and development to find a better solution than simply trying to freeze 137,000 tons of toxic arsenic trioxide underground forever. The...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. We all want the students who are in the program to be supported. There is going to be a lot less work to do because we are not taking in a new cohort. Is this really a prelude to cutting the programs completely? I just don't understand why we would make this reinstatement and how it is any different than what the Minister had already committed to do. Can the Minister provide some clarification of what is going to happen with the teachers for the program? There are going to be fewer students for them to be working with because we are not taking them...

Thank you to the Minister for that response. We won't actually see a change in the line items in the main estimates in terms of the contribution to be made to Aurora College. Is that what I am hearing?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I do appreciate the commitment from the Minister on that. We know April 1st is coming up quickly. There is a provision in the agreement for dispute resolution. I am wondering, would the Minister be prepared to recommend that the Giant Mine Oversight Board invoke the dispute resolution process under the environmental agreement if we can't resolve this quickly? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.