Sahtu

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 7)

Mr. Chair, I have a few questions in this area here. I want to start with the climate change and the impacts that we’re seeing in the Sahtu region. I’ve talked to a few of the trappers who use the land consistently, and what they have talked to me about is the erosion of the banks along some of the rivers that they go up to hunt and trap in, go up to live during the summer months, and the rivers that they use during the fall time for their fall hunts. They’re noticing the erosion of the landscape, of the banks and of the hills, and they were asking if there is any possible way that the...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 7)

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on February 14, 2013, it shall be adjourned until Monday, February 18, 2013;

AND FURTHER, that any time prior to February 18, 2013, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 7)

This recent discovery of contaminated soil on the Enbridge pipeline, I am not sure if it was done accidentally or because of the work that Enbridge is doing. Can the Minister inform me and the people along the route of this pipeline that the integrity of this pipeline is safe and that Enbridge will do all it can to assure the people that there isn’t going to be any more sudden surprises of contaminated soil or possible leaks in the line?

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 7)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of ENR. I want to ask the Minister with regard to the recent news about Enbridge contaminated soil along the Mackenzie pipeline. Is the Minister aware about the incident and whether there’s further actions to check the integrity of the pipeline right from Norman Wells to the border of the Northwest Territories, if there are starting to be spots along the pipeline with contaminated soil. What is the Minister doing to ensure the whole line is being checked thoroughly?

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 7)

Thank you. I’d like to know from the Minister, where are the teeth in our socio-economic agreements. The mining companies have agreed to sign on to a target or a number that they’re going to meet once they want to do business in the Northwest Territories. They’ll say yes, we’ll do this, and they sign on, and after three or four years they don’t meet their targets, they’re coming very close to it, but where are the teeth in the socio-economic agreements that would hold them accountable to say you violated your agreement.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 7)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of ITI. When the government and the mining companies signed a socio-economic agreement, they made certain targets and priorities. Why aren’t the mining companies reaching the target of hiring northern at 60 percent? They are only at 37 percent. What is the Minister doing to bring up those numbers so the government can hold to account the mining companies on the agreements they signed to operate in the Northwest Territories?

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 7)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to also send out my happy Valentine’s Day to the people. Somebody sent me a note here and it says, “I love you.” Whoever that is…(inaudible)…

---Laughter

…(inaudible)…also to my lovely wife, and I certainly send my love out to the people in the Sahtu, especially people from the Sahtu who are in the gallery and are friends. I want to say that.

I want to get on with my Member’s statement now after all these heartfelt sentiments I’ve said.

Keeping jobs in the North is my concern today. Industry and the Government of the Northwest Territories signs economic agreements...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 7)

I do look forward to a time when this opportunity also will be available in the Sahtu region. We will continue on with the progression to that place and time in history where we can also have that type of industry with our region to support the biomass initiative, because that would be very helpful to us. So a wait and see approach, I guess.

I want to ask one more question to the Minister in regard to the forest management for the sustainable management of our forest resources. Trappers are saying that where there are good areas to trap, sometimes those areas get burnt out because sometimes...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 7)

Thank you, Minister. I am wondering if there is anywhere in your corporate planning, or planning for the department, to start looking at this. It’s very preliminary right now. I am asking for some consideration.

The Minister, over the past eight or nine years, is aware of myself taking a hiking trip once a year on the Canol. Over the years, I want to let you know, the Minister flew out there one year with me. We saw some natural slides of the mountains. Last year or the year before, when you walked past one of the trails, there was a huge mudslide there. It wasn’t there before. We started to...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 6)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to ask the Minister on the biomass energy initiatives for the Sahtu specifically, the Minister mentioned Norman Wells school and the airport. I want to ask the Minister if he had some discussions regarding the new health and long-term care facility that’s going to be built in Norman Wells. Also, what opportunities for the people in the surrounding communities of the Sahtu to look at biomass supplies/opportunities with the Aboriginal groups, businesspeople, what discussions have happened with the people of the Sahtu regarding this new wholesale supplies of biomass...