Norman Yakeleya

Hydraulic fracking in the Sahtu and in the North here has been highly controversial. The issue of the hydraulic fracking, I want to ask the Minister, in his experience and in his term as the Minister, are there safe regulations right now, today, over the years that we have looked at this new technology in the Sahtu in the Northwest Territories that says, yes, it can be done, we can manage it, we can deal with the risks? Are we dealing with the facts rather than the fears?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I talked about the potential for the economic resource benefits in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Minister of ITI, on the assessment, has his department done an assessment of the oil and gas potential in the Northwest Territories? That is a remarkable resource. Canada right now has 8.8 billion barrels of oil that could be marketed. Has he done any assessment in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I also want to lend my support in this important bill, and my colleague Mr. Bromley said it very well that in the 16th we started this work, the Members who are here and continue on. This is almost two Assemblies now. We have done some good work under the leadership of the Minister. I appreciate the support and the work that has been done to this date along with the Social Programs committee members on this side here, too, who put this bill here.

Again, as my colleague has said, there are others in the field of the professions who would love to also become part of this...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2015, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on Thursday, March 12, 2015, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, May 27, 2015;

And further, that any time prior to May 27, 2015, 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...

Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister, given that we know for a fact that in the 1970s there was the first acid fracking in Cameron Hills, and today we are starting to realize that we want to continue doing more research around this horizontal fracking, has his department seen any type of shift in the land or in the area where fracking has taken place where there were downhole injections in the past in the areas that I’ve listed here? Thank you.

From our experience from the oil and gas development, and specifically I now want to focus in on the Sahtu region, has the Minister, through his department, done an assessment on the economic benefits around the oil and gas activity that happened in the last five years?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about the potential of the resource development we have in the Northwest Territories. We have seen it in the Sahtu region. Like any new technology, there’s always risk. We deal with that every day, from the time that Henry Ford came out with the Model T car to the vehicles we deal with today. There’s always potential risk with the technology that’s coming out.

Do we have the tools to manage these risks? I believe so. Again, like the vehicles, we have the tools to manage those risks. There are risks going to be involved.

We also need more research over...

Who are these industries?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to ask a question on the $140,000 with regards to the winter road ice paving program and also to enhance the winter road there. Is the $140,000 something that the Department of Transportation negotiated with industry with regards to their use of the winter road, their use of sections of the winter road? Is it to put water on the roads and to do other work to ensure that there’s safety with industry as they haul their equipment through the Sahtu region?

Madam Chair, I just want to let the Speaker know and also the Office of the Clerk that I appreciate the work that their staff do to accommodate us during our busy work as MLAs. Thank you.