Frame Lake

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to my colleagues. One of the unfinished pieces of business with our environmental management system is the absence of participant funding, something available to all Canadians south of 60 in terms of federal environmental assessment. Later today, I will have questions for the Minister of Lands. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Lands.

Regarding the Prairie Creek Mine site, could the Minister inform me when the most recent third-party assessment of environmental liabilities was made, and:

Who conducted it?

What was the scope of this assessment (that is, what was included in the assessment)?

What was the amount of the liabilities estimated to exist?

Can the Minister table this report?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and I have another written question if I may?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

I appreciate the answer from the Minister. Can the Minister tell us when we might expect to see a legislative proposal for the Territorial Parks Act?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker and my apologies to the Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources that I didn't give him a heads-up, but I’d like to ask him some questions about Thaidene Nene, if I may. I think these are sweetheart questions, so I think they are going to be pretty easy for him to answer.

---Laughter.

There's a rather large land withdrawal that has been set aside for this area and some of it dates back to 1970, and I think that's a good thing, but as I understand, that land withdrawal is going to expire on March 31 of this year. Is the department prepared to extend the land withdrawal...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

I appreciate the Minister's response and his work with his earpiece as well, but the benefits of participant funding are well documented and they include building confidence in our environmental management system and creating buy-in for our residents while considering projects. I'm wondering if the Minister can just provide a little bit more information about what specifically the GNWT is prepared to do to push this issue with the federal government. I understand he mentioned letters that have been sent in the past, but is this something he'd be prepared to take up with the new Minister of...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It's my understanding that the Department of Lands now coordinates GNWT participation in environmental assessment. Since the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act came into force in 1998, participant funding has been made available for exactly three of the more than 70 environment assessments or impact reviews that have taken place. Can the Minister of Lands tell this House who is responsible for participant funding for environment assessments in the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to promote and praise our integrated environmental management system in the Northwest Territories. This system is the result of hard-fought, constitutionally protected land rights agreements negotiated by Aboriginal governments. Some parts of the Northwest Territories now have legally binding land use plans, environmental assessments, land and water management, cumulative impact monitoring, and environmental audit functions in place. These components work together to protect our land and water, ensure we benefit from resource development, and allow people to...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, again my questions are for the Minister of Lands.

Regarding the Prairie Creek Mine site and its ultimate environmental remediation and abandonment, what would it cost to remediate the entire site to current standards, and:

Is there an approved plan to carry out this work?

What is the current amount and form of financial security held under various instruments for the Prairie Creek Mine site?

Does Canadian Zinc have the financial capacity to conduct a full remediation on the basis of its current worth?

What is the plan to close any shortfall between the currently held financial...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thanks to the Minister for that response. Presumably, though, we're looking at engaging folks beyond just the university. We're talking, presumably, the mining industry, environmental organizations, Aboriginal governments, the co-management bodies. All of those would be part of consultations that will take place regarding these guidelines as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mothers-to-be across the Northwest Territories want to have their babies with the assistance of well-trained midwives who are supported by a comprehensive, stable, and well-funded midwifery program in all of the regional centres across the Northwest Territories. For the sake of our young families, I hope the Minister will confirm real progress and certainty on moving forward with midwifery in the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.