Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to proceed with first reading of Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Tax Act.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, October 29, 2009, I will move that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Tax Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to acknowledge the Member for bringing this issue to light and commend him for his perseverance in pulling this together. He’s come up with an issue that needs remediating. The answer is yes, I will be working to have a public awareness campaign and look at the statistics. There is a need for some type of message to make people conscious, as the Member has pointed out. So, yes, Mr. Speaker.

We’re taking the approach of making sure in our own area and our own bailiwick that we are being as responsive and responsible as possible to try to deal with this issue, investing, as I indicated, the money that we are, trying to change how we do business, how we’re delivering hydro and energy, generating energy. We have had discussions with the federal government. We’ve indicated what we’re doing, as opposed to what they’re doing. The federal government will be, at the end of the day as they want to do, making up their own mind. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled, Supplementary Appropriation No. 3 (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2009-2010. Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, we have been looking at this issue and recognize the policy and legislative framework has some gaps in it. It’s not as strong as it could be, so we are going to be looking at how we bring forward regulations that will allow us to close those loopholes and make a tighter framework. Thank you.

We will continue to, we think, be the voice of reason, speak to the examples, point to the urgency in the Arctic, not only in the Northwest Territories but in all the circumpolar countries and, like many of our circumpolar neighbours, we will be making the case that we are paying the biggest price, we’re feeling the most and greatest impact and that we have to take the steps necessary. We will continue to state those points of view. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government and this Legislature recognize climate change as one of the most important issues facing us. It has an impact on everything we’re trying to do as a government almost everywhere we look, whether it be with wildlife, with our communities, with transportation, with permafrost issues. Not only are we committed to reducing greenhouse gases, we are, in fact, spending tens of millions of dollars to put in infrastructure to actually reduce our greenhouse gases, as we speak, with biomass. We’re going to invest in wind, we’re going to invest in mini-hydro and all...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Supplementary Appropriation No. 2 (Operations Expenditures), 2009-2010. Thank you.