Ronald Bonnetrouge

Thank you for that. It almost sounds like the employment in the small communities would hinge upon the Housing Corporation's LHOs. I know, right now, in my community, anyway, they're running two or three boiler systems in seniors' homes; you know, multiple boiler systems. Technically, you're required to have an operating engineer or OBM ticket, and we don't have that in our community. We haven't had that for the last four or five years, and we always have to rely on the outside communities. People are not comfortable with that.

We always saw employment opportunities, apprenticeship...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Thanks for that answer, there. Still, I don't see any commitments or any actions as to inspections of any of the tank farms. I don't hear that in these answers; it's just, "Whenever somebody says something." We should have regulations in place that provide these services by the GNWT on a regular yearly basis, and it should be spelled out in any regulations before they do any further installations. I would like to ask the Minister: when can we see actual inspections of all tank farms in the very, very near future? Mahsi.

Thank you for that answer. Are there any requirements and any regulations for yearly inspections on fuel tank farms?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My Member's statement today is on fuel tank farms. I believe they sprouted up in the early years, possibly in the 60's. There were private tank farms, and there were government-run tank farms. I believe, at that time, there were possibly no rigid regulations as to the set-up and the installation of the tank farms, nor ongoing inspections.

I understand that no tank farms, whether they be GNWT or private, are grandfathered from the early years. In most instances, there are known fuel spills or leakages from the tanks, and those are damaging the environment in those areas...

It's odd that we are not regulating private businesses with their tank farms, because he has just stated that they only regulate the government-owned ones. If we're not regulating the private tank farms that are in close proximity to the river, to the waterways, I don't know, why are we even here? We're the government. We have to set these regulations, even for private operators. I am wondering if the Minister can advise when we may see updated regulations to all tank farms, whether they're private or government-owned?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I just needed to make a correction to my Member's statement that my questions will be directed to the Minister of ENR. I just want to use my community as a brief example, here. We are right on the banks of the Mackenzie River, and we have many gas bars and tank farms along the river system in close proximity to the river. Of course, we have regulations for protection of the water, since water is life. My question to the Minister is: are there any regulations for fuel tank farms? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. Madam Premier, I recall you stating as soon as you got into office that you were phoning all of the Indigenous groups to have discussions. I am not certain if you did go into the communities, but I am kind of wondering if any part of your discussions mentioned these two mandate priority items, the settle and implementation and the UNDRIP.

Also, rather than waiting, I don't know why we're waiting for summer. I think, inside buildings, it feels like summer; it's warm. Even tonight, I would suggest, you know, to draft up a letter to all of the Indigenous groups on these two...

Mahsi, Madam Chair. I'm quite encouraged by the Premier's optimism for working with the Indigenous governments on the same level and that she has been in communication with them on, I suppose, an ongoing basis. To make this thing work, I guess, I myself have been after forming a special committee or some sort of a committee, and I'm glad to see that it has made it here. I'm just kind of wondering if we can, because it says "in the summer 2020, form special committee." That could be several months away, and there's just an eagerness, I guess, on my part, and maybe on the Indigenous side, too...

Can the Minister ensure that the reports will be shared with the public, especially the effect on First Nations in the Akaitcho Territory, the Dehcho Territory, and K'atlodeeche First Nations?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In light of the existing tar sands projects and the legacy tailings ponds, and the proposed $40 billion tech resources tar sands projects, and the possibility of a $40-billion worth of tailing ponds, I wanted to touch upon the Transboundary Water Agreement, specifically the implementation site. Agreements are important to both upstream and downstream communities in that they help to ensure that upstream activities do not unreasonably harm the aquatic ecosystem of downstream waterways. Water-quantity and quality monitoring is necessary to ensure these commitments are being...