Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Chair. For my final answer, we have an air monitoring station in Norman Wells. As things develop and expand, of course, we are going to take a look at the capacity of the station and ensure that it has the capacity to measure all the necessary criteria on qualities of the air so that we can ensure and deal with all of the issues tied to the development. Thank you.

As it pertains to the conversion to biomass, people have made their own determination in many cases, businesses have made their own determination. There is a migration to that alternate heating source. There is, we understand development of a private industry there in terms of supplying pellets. In terms of access to these particular assistance programs for alternative energy changes, those are there. I will follow up with the staff, with the deputy, to make sure the folks in the region are aware of the Member’s concerns. All of that is happening as we speak and we will work with the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are working through the Environmental Studies Research Fund, which is funded in part by industry, to look at baseline information for wildlife as well as baseline information as we do groundwater mapping. There is, in fact, a workshop going to be held in Norman Wells in November, and we’ve applied for money and we see this as an ongoing process that’s going to take some time. As well, industry has indicated a great interest in sharing all the information that they have acquired over the year as part of their various environmental assessment review of their projects.

This issue is regularly on the agenda for the Ministerial Energy Climate Change Coordinating Committee and we’ll monitor those issues and those requirements. We recognize the unique nature of the challenges faced by the community of Norman Wells and the people who are converting. We will also continue to invest millions of dollars to make sure that our infrastructure, as well, is converted, but I will commit to the Member that that issue will be reviewed at MECC as we gather for our next meeting. Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to rise on a point of order under clause 23(k) with regard to the use of insulting and abusive language and (l) speaking disrespectfully of Her Majesty, any member of the Royal Family, his Excellency the Governor General, the Commissioner, the Assembly or any Member.

I rise on that point, Mr. Speaker, because I listened with great interest and intensity to the exchange between Mr. Hawkins and Minister Beaulieu yesterday. I listened carefully to the volume, tone and content of the exchange. I am of the opinion that when you look at those three items with the type...

Our focus has been to put our resources not into those types of tax cuts or credits but to look at putting training programs in place that we can be there to assist communities, individuals and businesses so that they actually have some place to go. So it’s just not a credit but more of a structure, a bigger critical mass that allows us to provide a broader range of service across the North.

As a government, we haven’t raised income tax, corporate taxes, business taxes for well over a decade, and we intend to hold the line on that as well. We have been working very hard not to increase the cost to do business. The tax rate in the Northwest Territories is 4 percent, and that’s worth about $4 million a year. The issue, as we’ve heard in this House as we debate things like capital and the lack of revenue, that if we’re going to consider any kind of revenue offsets lost because of tax cuts, we have to, before we do that, anticipate where we’re going to get that replacement revenue or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a government, we are looking at the whole issue of fracking. We are looking at how we manage the balance between environment and resource development in the Sahtu. In this case, the issue of fracking is a major piece of technology that’s being used where there are risks, but we are of the opinion that we can manage those risks. One of the things that we are doing and have been working on for some time at the behest of and encouragement of Members is the guidance document that is going to be on its way to committee this week about this government’s position and...

I will make a commitment to sit down and provide a briefing of what is possible, given the constraints that we function under, and it may not be the full detail that the Member is requesting. This is a process that is defined under the federal process and it’s not one where there’s an opportunity for that type of debate, but I will commit to check to see what is possible, given the Member’s request.