Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Testart on March, 11, 2019, regarding the Northwest Territories Power Corporation generator procurement cost.

NTPC recognized that Members have been interested in this project. The corporation is pleased to report that the project is nearing completion, with final commissioning under way for the last two generators. It was necessary to switch vendors for the final two units because the original vendor was unable to meet the required delivery schedule, even after multiple renegotiations. This vendor's bid was originally...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 34(6) so that all Ministers' statements filed with the clerk can be delivered today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 38, Protected Areas Act, be read for a third time. Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to update the House and Northwest Territories residents on the implementation of the NWT Carbon Tax.

The Government of the Northwest Territories committed to implementation of carbon pricing as part of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. Provinces and territories were provided with the option of implementing their own approach to carbon pricing or having the federal backstop approach implemented in their jurisdictions.

In the NWT, we decided to pursue our own made-in-the-North approach, recognizing our unique environment and the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Our intention is for the act to come into force at the earliest opportunity. Implementing this act, needless to say, is a high priority for the government of the Northwest Territories and the people who are affected by it. The Department of ENR is actively working with Indigenous governments and organizations, and have advanced three candidate areas under the act: the Dinaga Wek'ehodi Wek'eezhii, Thaidene Nene, and Tu'eyeta west of Fort Good Hope in the Sahtu region. Bringing the act in force is a critical step towards establishing these candidate areas.

Section 101 of...

I do respect the timeline, but I also respect the process. This is an important piece of legislation, and we should be able to do due diligence.

The absence of any explicit reference to engaging or collaborating with Indigenous governments or organizations in the development of regulations for the Protected Areas Act should not be taken as a lack of commitment by the GNWT to meet its obligations to consult with IGOs, IGOs, IGOs and its commitment to collaborating with Indigenous governments and organizations.

The Intergovernmental Council has undertaken a lessons-learned process on the...

[Microphone turned off] ... get a chance to before. I do want to acknowledge the work that went on between committee and the department. We had 34 amendments that were proposed by committee. We accepted 30 of them. There were four we did not accept. Again, they were defeated, and they were brought down to the floor of the Assembly to have further debate on it, which is the right of this Assembly, and I respect that.

The act as written already ensures that the Minister will make transparent and accountable decisions on whether a nominated area can be considered by Executive Council for approval...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to introduce Bill 38, Protected Areas Act. The bill sets out the processes for establishing a protected area in the Northwest Territories. The bill lays out the process to nominate the candidate area, how establishment agreements with Indigenous governments or organizations will be entered into for management of a protected area, regulation-making authorities, and prohibited and acceptable activities in a protected area.

Environment and Natural Resources has developed the bill through a partnership process with a technical working group that is comprised of...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 59, Supplementary Appropriations Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 2, 2019-2020, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 59, Supplementary Appropriations Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 2, 2019-2020, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.