Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ll respond to the first part of Ms. Bisaro’s concern and then I’ll have Mr. Anderson respond to the non-residential.

We hear the concern that we do need more public housing across the Northwest Territories, and again, we keep saying that we’re challenged by the CMHC declining funding, but I think there’s probably going to have to come a time where we can’t keep saying, well, we’re challenged by the CMHC declining funding. We have to think, or future government may have to make a decision as to whether we are just a public housing provider and use the money that we put...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following four documents, entitled “Follow-up Letter for OQ 774-17(5): Agricultural Strategy;” “Follow-up Letter for OQ 872-17(5): Status on Cantung Mine;” “Follow-up Letter for OQ 818-17(5): Track and Field Facility for Fort Simpson;” and “Follow-up Letter for OQ 875-17(5): 2015 NGO Stabilization Fund.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’m not sure if the Member is asking during the time the moratorium was in effect. If that is her question, then I would commit to her that I will follow up with the department to see the number of applications we may have had and for what particular reason. I will share it with the Members in this Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That area is within the withdrawal area that we’re doing all the work on; therefore, I think we’ve made it quite clear that we’re not taking any applications for any areas within the interim withdrawal. Thank you.

If it’s set in a policy, and there was a bit of confusion there, once I review that and the policy says it’s supposed to be a certain time period, I will correct it. Thank you.

Surety bonds are an accepted form of security for many projects that are going on. Again, I think in the short time that we’ve had this responsibility we’ve done some work. The Member is correct; we do have a division that’s dedicated to this, and we will continue to do our due process and make sure that any work that does go on is adequately covered and that way we have the opportunity to do the remediation if need be. Thank you.

I know that the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, I think, had set their security at $30 million, and that was, I think, $27 million and $30 million was to be paid 90 days after the granting of the water licence. My understanding is, I think, the water licence is still in the process and I will find out as to the status of that from my counterpart over at ENR. Thank you.

I’ve had the opportunity to meet with this group and I saw first-hand their commitment and their passion. However, this area is within the focus area and I do not wish to consider making an exception to one group. If I do that, then I may have a number of applications coming forward saying, “You make an exception for one group or organization or person, you can make an exception for me.” What that would do is open the door and that will go against all the work we are trying to do.

So again, I saw their commitment and passion first-hand and I commend them for that, but this is work that we...

The rationale for the moratorium was to allow us time to do a proper density study and environmental studies of all the areas within the focus area. We had done some work previous to devolution, but with devolution we had a larger area that came over to the territorial government, so we expanded our time and we expanded the work that we had to do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This is a bit of a learning curve for our folks over at the department, too, because NGOs we just received, I think, on April 1st of this year, so we’re just learning this as we go along. So, I will commit to the Member that I will inform everyone involved when the decision is made. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.