Kevin O'Reilly

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I will be very interested to see how this rolls out over the next while. Some in this House have called for the development of large hydro projects that could even flood communities to export power. Earlier, I spoke of another vision for the NTPC where it would basically be doing itself out of a job by building energy self-sufficiency in communities and households across the NWT. Can the Minister explain: what is the current vision of NTPC? Will it become an instrument of this government for big hydro for export or build energy self-sufficiency? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. The reason why I’m asking these questions about midwifery here is because it’s community health programs, that’s where midwifery was found in the business plan.. I don’t know why the Minister is talking about nursing when I want to talk about midwifery, but anything he can do to help clarify would be great because if I wasn’t confused before by his explanation, I certainly am now.. If he’s got a diagram that’ll help that would be great. I guess at the end of this we still don’t have midwifery services in Yellowknife, and that’s why we had a person in the gallery earlier...

I thank the Minister for his response. The recently released North Slave Resiliency Study did not consider climate change and made no predictions of future water levels. Low waters have caused this government to burn through more than $60 million in diesel subsidies in recent years. That is money that could have gone into renewable energy development. What role does the Minister see the NTCP playing in building capacity for wind, solar, and biomass in the North Slave region?

Okay, thanks, Mr. Chair. While I encourage the department to find more money for early childhood development and for working with the Minister on the 2017-18 budget. I want to go back to one of his favourite topics which is midwifery. Earlier the Minister talked about how there was a consulting position that was sun setting around for midwifery. Then I understand that there’s two people doing work that had been hired as consultants on midwifery.. Can the Minister explain what position was sunsetted and why we hired two other consultants? I think I know the answer to the second part, but can...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. No. I do want to commend the department for bringing forward that position. I think it’s really important for residents here that continue to rely on caribou that we have a very strong, consistent position on that. I really encourage the department to continue to bring that forward, and thank them for their work to date. Thanks very much, Mr. Chair.

I guess I do agree with the Minister in that the North Slave Resiliency Study did recommend against investing in solar, wind, and biomass. Hydro, yes, we can probably spend a lot more money on that too perhaps, but we’ve already made a significant investment in Arctic Energy Alliance as the delivery agent for a variety of very successful energy conservation and retrofit programs over many years now. What impact will the recommendations from the North Slave Resiliency Study have on this investment that we’ve already started through the Arctic Energy Alliance and its programs?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Just wanting to go back to the Minister’s introductory remarks for the department, and there was a line in here that ENR “will continue to collaborate with Aboriginal governments, comanagement boards and neighbouring jurisdictions to protect and conserve our barren-ground and boreal caribou populations and their habitat, as well as other wildlife species.” There has been some public concern expressed about resource development in calving grounds for barren-ground caribou herds, and those calving grounds are found in Nunavut. What is the position of the GNWT with regard to...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions about the future of renewable energy in the North Slave region and I’ll ask them of the Minister of Public Works and Services. I’d like to start with the North Slave Resiliency Study. I cannot see in the study where climate change models may have been used to predict water levels. Analysis seems to have been based on the past 30 years of data. Can the Minister confirm that the North Slave Resiliency Study did not consider climate change and then no predictions were made of future water levels? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ve noticed that, on this page, the caribou strategy work, there was $627,000 expended back in 2014-15 but nothing last year and nothing in the budget for this year. Is there some other place in the budget where work related to caribou is found? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Sorry. One more. I just didn’t know where to ask this question in other sections. We are supposed to be talking about water, but I understand the department is also developing some air quality regulations. Just wondering if the Minister can provide a bit of a status report of where that work is at. Thanks, Mr. Chair.