Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, we see a clear need for community-based water monitoring. It is an issue that has come up through all of our consultations up and down the valley as we develop our Northern Voices, Northern Waters water strategy. As we look at the transboundary issues and the negotiations there, it is clear as well that that type of monitoring, both on the Alberta side and as it enters into the territory and as it goes farther north, are going to be critical.

We see community-based water monitoring as very critical. We have been spending a lot of time and energy at the border where the water is...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It was there but we weren’t in a position to make any decisions to move on it until we had advanced our discussions on the borrowing limit far enough where we were prepared to make a commitment. So that is how this whole process transpired, but the intent, if all went well to do the work, that information, as far as I’m aware… I’ll ask Mr. Aumond to clarify the detail. I’m of the understanding that it was there.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have with me Deputy Minister Mike Aumond and deputy secretary of the FMB, Sandy Kalgutkar.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a lot of work underway in regards to water, as the Member is well aware, over the last few years and continuing to this very day. As a government, we pull together all of our resources within government to make sure we are working with communities. We are looking at source and water protection, making sure from the source to the tap we deal with that water. We have arrangements – especially in the southern part of the territory where the water comes in from Alberta – we have some initiatives with two different groups, the Slave and the Delta as well as the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Of course, if the Member has taken offense by any of my comments, my intent was not to offend her. I acknowledge the fact that I appreciate her support and she does ask tough questions. I mean, there’s no doubt about it, she’s good at it. So we owe her the response that she’s asked for and which is what we’re asking for. So I meant no offense to the Member. Whatever comment specifically offended her, I’d be happy to withdraw those. Thank you.

Yes, that is the sequence and the fact is there is no other harvest across the territory except for the small harvest in the Porcupine, except for the Aboriginal subsistence harvest at this juncture. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would ask that Mr. Minister Abernethy be allowed to make a motion.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not sure what herd the Member is talking about. Most of the herds, with the exception of a very small harvest on the Porcupine, there is only Aboriginal subsistence harvests, plus there’s the banned area outside of Yellowknife, which has specific restrictions. But there are no other harvests going on in the Territories as far as I’m aware. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Once again, I appreciate the Member’s support. If I could make an observation that I think all of us that have been here for at least the last Assembly and prior, but definitely the last Assembly, would consider ourselves somewhat battle hardened when it comes to the road followed for a major project. The ups and downs of things like the Deh Cho Bridge. Now we sit here, I would like to say we are not sadder but we are wiser. We know we have to invest this money up front to answer the very legitimate questions the Member has raised before we make any ongoing long-term...

Mr. Speaker, I don’t have that information with me today, but I would indicate to the Member that this government is interested, as we have all struggled with the fiscal reality we are in and the need to be efficient and effective, manage our resources at a time when there are enormous cost pressures and pressures to keep our costs down, that we are looking and interested in every opportunity and avenue that will allow us to achieve our goals, protect programs, protect services and move forward in a way that allows us to do that. We are interested in that, so we want to be able to work with...