Kevin O'Reilly

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the commitment by the Minister to work with our neighbours in Yukon and Nunavut. I’ve been on record talking about the need to build confidence in our resource management decisions and that people have to have the ability to participate in these processes. Larger projects often involve technical expertise in their evidence-based processes to help level the playing field and ensure we retain the benefits of resource development. Participant funding is essential. I understand the Minister is prepared to work with our northern neighbours, but would he be prepared...

I’m a bit disappointed to hear that GNWT didn’t use the devolution negotiations as an opportunity, we’re always on about capturing opportunities, to try to resolve this situation when we had some leverage. I spoke earlier this week about the recently announced federal review of environmental assessment processes, the federal government wants to rebuild public confidence in resource decisions; I think that’s a good thing. Although the North was left out of this process, we should perhaps capture that opportunity to push the federal government to treat us the same as other Canadians. Will the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It is time to mine the 2015 Environmental Audit for some issues to bring before this House. Members will recall that this audit is the legitimate, legally mandated way to improve integrated resource management systems for the Mackenzie Valley as established in constitutionally entrenched agreements. Today, it is another one of my favourite topics, participant funding. Canadians south of 60 degrees are entitled to participant funding in federal environmental assessment processes. If you live north of 60, you are treated as a second-class citizen. I appeared before a House of...

Masi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister responsible for the Office of the Regulator of Oil and Gas Operations. In Return to Written Question 27-17(5), asked on March 10, 2015, information was provided regarding horizontally fractured wells in the Northwest Territories. A portion of the response provided indicated that, “The information requested is currently subject to the privilege provision of Section 91 of the Petroleum Resources Act.” Since the privilege period for this information has expired, can the government now supply information on the quantity of greenhouse gas...

I appreciate the response from the Minister. Can he tell us though, whether the information that he’s going to provide to the Commission scolaire is going to be a draft, and if he’s looking for further input, or is this a final decision that he’s going to table with the Commission scolaire?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It’s the end of the school year. I’m just wondering if I could ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment how his work on the ministerial directive for francophone education is coming along and whether he’s had a chance to provide that to the Commission scolaire. Mahsi, Monsieur le President.

I appreciate the commitment from the Minister and I look forward to hearing back from him about his discussions with the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change. I mentioned how residents of Northwest Territories along with residents of Yukon and Nunavut do not have access to participant funding for federal environmental assessment except in very limited circumstances, and these are usually at the discretion of Ottawa. Truly, we’re treated as second-class citizens in this country. Can the Minister of Lands tell this House whether he would be willing to work with our northern...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today, I spoke about the divergence in views between the federal and our territorial governments regarding participant funding for environmental assessment in the Northwest Territories as found in the 2015 Environmental Audit. This issue’s been around for over 20 years and it’s time to solve this problem. Can the Minister of Lands tell this House whether the issue of participant funding was raised during the devolution negotiations, who raised it, and what the response was? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of the closure of the Mark de Weerdt Law Library. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 36 electronic signatures of Northwest Territories and Canadian residents, and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Department of Justice continue to maintain the core library collection and keep the law library open to all members of the public. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I’m just trying to understand this, the process that the Minister has discussed here. There’s going to be a report, and then a decision. Is the report going to be shared with the Commission scolaire separately? Or are these two documents going to come with the report and then a decision? If the Minister could shed some light on how this process is going to work, it would certainly help this Member understand where we’re going with the process.