Inuvik Twin Lakes

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 73)

The quick answer is "yes," and I will explain. We are collaborating with the University of Alberta to study metals in large-bodied fish, including arsenic, from several high use and potentially impacted lakes in and around the Yellowknife area. We have taken some sampling in March of 2016 on Kam, Grace, Long, and Upper Martin Lakes, and it will occur during 2017 at Walsh and Banting Lakes. Existing sediment, soil, and fish data is also being compiled in the Yellowknife area. There are many entities, as the Member mentioned. Like the other governments, industries, and academics who have...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 73)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Environmental Protection Act, be read for the second time. This bill makes several amendments to the Environmental Protection Act. It removes the non-application provision; authorizes the Minister to establish and make publicly available a register respecting environmental contaminants; authorizes the Minister to determine that discharges are nuisances; authorizes the Minister to exempt persons from complying with the act or the regulations; creates a new...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 73)

As our information sharing protocol has improved, the reports and all information collected by ENR, we will share them with Health and Social Services after some analysis and review. Data collected by ENR will be posted on our website, and as mentioned, reports will be prepared and made public, as well.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 73)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said the other day, we have been conducting some sampling in Great Slave and the Yellowknife River, and we have also sampled some of the lakes. I mentioned Kam Lake, Grace Lake. We plan on sampling them again this summer. ENR, what we are doing is we are compiling some water quality information from water bodies in the Yellowknife area because there are a number of other governments, industry, and academics who have collected water samples, so what we are doing is we are working with them to compile all that information. If there are some lakes there that need to...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That level of detail, I do not have at my fingertips. I will follow up with the department and see when they are mobilizing, but I would assume that, because it is starting to warm up, they are probably getting ready for the fire season. I will confirm that, and I will share that information with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Environment Protection Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources recognizes that legacy arsenic contamination in the Yellowknife region has many residents concerned. To this end, ENR continues to conduct monitoring, in collaboration with universities and the Government of Canada, on arsenic in water, sediments, soils, and fish in the Yellowknife region. Under-ice water sampling was done by Environment and Natural Resources at seven sites on Kam Lake and three sites on Grace Lake in April. Results from Kam Lake are consistent with recent Surveillance Network Program...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, to my right, I have Mr. David Stewart, deputy minister of Finance, and to my left, I have Mr. Ian Rennie, who is the legislative counsel.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We thank you for the opportunity to present Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, to the Committee of the Whole. This bill responds to our commitment approved in the 2016-2017 budget to provide further financial assistance to low and modest-income families to raise their children through an enhancement to the Northwest Territories Child Benefit.

The amendments to the NWT Income Tax Act will allow us to enhance the NWT Child Benefit by providing a total of $2.2 million in direct support for children in families with annual income up to $80,000. This enhanced program...