Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me Ernie Daniels, deputy minister of Environment and Natural Resources; and Nancy Magrum, director of shared services of ITI and ENR. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to add a few words, as well, to this debate.

For 46 years and 17 Assemblies we have been working together on a foundation of very, very fundamental principles, the protection in accordance to the land, the water and the animals. We need to work together, Aboriginal governments and public government. Our common desire to control our own fate is to eventually achieve self-government.

I would suggest to you that what we should be talking about and what the focus is, is this motion, as it is worded, appropriate at this particular time. I would suggest to you that...

Mr. Speaker, Enbridge is a good corporate citizen. They’ve had their challenges with the aging pipeline. They are taking the steps necessary to protect the interest of Northerners and protect the pipeline route. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As with other similar instances, we are having our staff work with federal folks that are responsible and we’re encouraging, of course, Enbridge to do a thorough review and all the repairs necessary and not just wait for things to happen. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are getting about $1.1 billion. Over 70 percent of our income as a government comes from the Territorial Financing Formula for 43,000 people. If the Member does the math on a per capita basis, we have one of the best deals in the country.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Formula Financing Agreement as we know it is going to be continued until 2018. Thank you.

We are making note of the Member’s request. We will have discussions in the department to talk about how we move forward on the request and the concern. We will be able to come back. By the time we’re back here next year, we will hopefully see some reflection of the results of that work and discussion. Thank you.

The Member is correct; the intent is to conclude Alberta, and then move to British Columbia and Saskatchewan, and then up with the Yukon to look at mainly the Peel watershed. So that would be our next step after this. We are doing it sequentially, mainly tied to capacity and the way the agreed-to work plan that was laid out. It will involve a very similar process. We are going to continue to have full involvement of the Aboriginal Steering Committee and we are going to do all the necessary work, but a lot of the groundwork, the template will have been worked through with Alberta. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There is a modest pot of money available to work with communities for risk management plans implementation. I would point out, as well, this is another area where personal responsibility is a big one and we, as well, encourage homeowners to make sure that their underbrush is clear, the trees are limbed, their house has as few flammable exterior products as possible, in addition to reliance on governments to come in and make sure the communities are fire smart.

We’re also doing a number of creative things, working, for example, in Fort Smith. They’re working with...

I, as well, would like to recognize one of the hardworking court workers and that would be Shari Olsen from Fort Smith. I welcome her to the Assembly. Thank you.