Michael Nadli

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. As you all know, the Protected Areas Strategy initiative is a collaborative effort from two levels of government, including the federal government and the GNWT, also along with NGOs, First Nations, and it has been an initiative that has been fairly successful throughout the Northwest Territories. It makes the effort to identify special ecological cultural futures of community initiatives and to try and set aside those lands for protection. Can the Minister give an update of the various PAS initiatives...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the point is that in terms of energy and in terms of what’s been proposed in terms of the public consultation in terms of looking at the Power Corporation, I can’t help but sense the plight of consumers and their concern because of the increased costs of energy that we provide to our communities. I think as a responsible government we need to ensure that we create options for our consumers. I think the initiatives in terms of some of the alternative energy programs that this government has undertaken is good and I think it’s a good step. There’s nothing really...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. What steps would the department entertain to ensure that the success of the PAS initiative for the Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation is concluded? Mahsi.

Madam Speaker, what is the position of the GNWT in terms of selecting areas for candidate areas for PAS initiatives at the local level? Mahsi.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. On behalf of the people in my region, I want to say welcome to Kakisa. Kakisa was founded in 1962 when the Slavey people living near Tathlina Lake moved closer to the Mackenzie Highway. It is now home to 54 NWT residents. Close to 80 percent of the residents can speak in their own Aboriginal language.

Kakisa is a progressive, independent mining community we can be proud of. People recognize that the community can become more self-sustaining much more easily than a city. Leaders have expressed an interest in alternative energy in the central heating system and are...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the Housing Corporation, just in the short time I’ve been here, are just trying to set up some signposts in terms of a quick evolution. I think last fall we heard it quite clear, the overwhelming concerns about people in terms of trying to aspire at the end of the day to maintain a living in communities and, at the same time, become homeowners in their own home community. As a result, it was an ongoing effort in terms of trying to remedy the rental system to make it fairly equitable so people in communities found it at least doable at the community level, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its Report of the Review of the 2010-2011 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories and commends it to this House.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed the 2010-2011 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. Members would like to thank Ms. Elaine Keenan Bengts for the report and for her appearance before the committee on February 14, 2012.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner is an...

Yes. If I could, I would just like to ask a final question, Madam Chair. Thank you for the response in terms of clarifying the forest management agreement with more likely local organizations for terms of 15 years.

Is there an effort to try to ensure that communities, if at the local level the department is equally going to work parallel with them to ensure they build up capacities at the same time? It’s a cooperative effort so, in the end, there’s a forest management agreement that’s beneficial to both the government and local organizations. Does the department have a position to try to help...

Thank you, Madam Chair. My question is not so much on a monetary matter but in terms of timber permits and licences. I think the Biomass Initiative is a fairly positive and forward initiative that complements local skills. I think one of the obstacles that some organizations have is access to lands and areas where there has been an effort to do an inventory and analysis in terms of the tree species and whether they are prime for harvesting. My question is: How is the department trying to mitigate access to forested areas in terms of trying to make biomass successful?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I speak in favour of the motion. Why? I think this motion is visionary and provides leadership. At the same time I think it creates options for what the public expects at this time. At this time in the North we’ve seen very dramatic rises in the cost of living, of course. As the economy improves, so does the cost of goods. Particularly energy costs. I think the public would expect this government would try to create some options and alternatives to the mainstream energy sources that we have at this point. In speaking to this motion I believe it’s visionary and provides...