Louis Sebert

Yes, I understand that the Ontario Civil Liberties Association has produced a paper and I have had the opportunity of reading that paper. It may be time to look at these vulnerable record checks; however, I still think they have considerable value.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Thebacha resident and Fort Smith Town Councillor, Rashmi Patel.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Like the Member opposite, my spouse was also here, but she seems to have moved on with my grandson. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, this is of course a very important issue, and I am willing to consider such a meeting. Perhaps it would be best if other Ministers were included, so I will consult with them and get back to the Member opposite on that issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, the Imperial Oil is responsible for the remediation of oil and gas operation at Norman Wells. I understand they've recently posted a $180million irrevocable letter of credit. We're continuing to monitor and engage the Sahtu Land and Water Board's closure and reclamation planning process, so I can advise that we are on top of this file. This is a complex matter. Of course, the majority, in fact virtually all, of the assets of Imperial Oil are in the proven area, which is an area of federal responsibility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Northwest Territories Law Foundation 34th Annual Report for the Period Ending June 30, 2016." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I understand that the MLA opposite also raised this question in September, and the Minister of ITI at the time thought that an oversight committee at that time was premature. I think that's still this government's position.

Mr. Speaker, I am willing to have that discussion. I don't know whether I am willing to make that move, because I would have to consider the RCMP, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and also the judiciary's concerns. I have not spoken to the judiciary about this. We have meetings with them perhaps once a year. I will perhaps bring it up at the next meeting. We have looked at this situation, and generally speaking I would have to say we do seem to be content with the present arrangement, but we are certainly always open to new ideas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The sheriff's office is doing 80 per cent of the escorts at this time. I have actually found the statistics. In the last year, there were 3,241 escorts and the RCMP only did 455. I imagine there would always be circumstances in which it would be required that the RCMP do the escorts. I don't know whether the figure of 20 per cent, which is roughly the number they do now, will go down.

Mr. Speaker, this is a complex question. I think we will have to go through the documentation. These lands are not only in Hay River. Those are the ones we often think about when we think about this bankruptcy, but there are Inuvialuit lands and there are lands in Norman Wells. I think we need to go through the documentation before we can give the Member an informed response. Thank you.