Tom Beaulieu

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about the transboundary water protections in the NWT, specifically in regard to the large area encompassing the Mackenzie River watershed. The Mackenzie River watershed is one of the largest river basins in North America. It spans across six provinces and territories; contains tens of thousands of lakes, rivers, and deltas; and covers nearly 20 percent of our country. This watershed is the world's most pristine freshwater ecosystem.

Mr. Speaker, given the rich biodiversity inhabiting this region, it's paramount that the ecological integrity...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that the chair rise and report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again, I am not really clearly finding this section here, and that is the needs survey. Maybe just a simple question to ask the Minister: when will we see the results of the next needs survey? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My questions in this area are pertaining to the public housing inventory. I am aware of the CMHC declining fund that exists, and this is causing the Housing Corporation to return to the Government of the Northwest Territories to get more funding as the various public housing units are paid off. They are assigned in groups of housing with a CMHC number. As they are paid off, CMHC quits providing the mortgage payment and the O and M to operate the home, thus the declining fund, which is scheduled to decline to nothing in, I guess, about 19 years from now. I am curious to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if there are monitoring requirements. I am referring to maybe something a little technical, the monitoring requirements of the water within the Mackenzie River basin.

Under the master agreement, environment Ministers from their respective jurisdictions are not obligated to present reports from the Mackenzie River Basin Board. My question is: would our Minister commit to providing this House regular updates as the work is done within the board?

However, we must continue to remain vigilant of the health of the great Mackenzie River basin. Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I realize that this is not the budget of the Government of the Northwest Territories, but on the radio today, the NWT Metis Nation was referring to their issue with getting funding for negotiations, money that usually comes from the federal government. I am wondering if our government is involved, in some way, in supporting the Metis to work with the federal government to try to get the money for continued negotiations. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I see that, on the line "regional operations," I guess that's where the single service is. I just have a question on if there is any thought or discussion or plan to expand to Detah? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table an information package on Thaidene Nene, "Land of Our Ancestors," the Lutselk'e Dene.