Wally Schumann

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think that this is another initiative that the department’s bringing forward and it’s working its way through the system. I think this is something we would gladly bring to committee on a briefing and have a good discussion with everyone and get them up to speed on where we’re at, so we’ll offer that too. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, the Member’s correct.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. A couple things I guess. We’re not reopening negotiations. All what happened was this process was put on pause during the 17th Assembly for the election. What we’re doing is going back through the process and bringing this back to open the box back up and essentially to get things going again. It’s not like we’re re-negotiating. What we negotiated already we’re just… The process was put on pause and now we’re re-engaging with the stakeholders. One thing I’d like to suggest maybe is we can offer a briefing to committee on this whole process and then everyone can ask as...

The Pine Point site falls under the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. ENR works closely with all other departments. Related to this land use it would be the Department of Lands and ENR. Under ENR we’d have a water licence and all these things are monitored adverse to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. Back to the federal government, if it’s a federal government responsibility and we’re still trying to figure out how that’s working with devolution. The remediation plan will have to be coming probably from the federal government; no different than other federal sites.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to check with the federal government if this is part of the devolution final agreement on contaminated sites and get back to the Member where that’s at if it’s part of devolution.

I would have to get back to the Member on that particular issue. I’m not quite certain how they’re linked together. In the land use plan there’s a Territorial Land Use Plan Strategy and the Deh Cho has their process for their protected areas as well. I’d have to get back to the Member on that.

Yes, that's correct, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to speak to this based on the comments that the House has received. Upon reviewing all our positions for this up and coming budget session, we reviewed these jobs, and, previous to the proposal of the reduction of this one position, we had one and a half positions within our department for this specific need. What we propose is we've eliminated the halftime position and, with decentralization, we've actually created one whole new complete position for this in the South Slave, so we have more people serving in this capacity than we did previously. We're actually...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled “Northwest Territories State of the Environment Report Highlights 2016.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. We're going to be rolling this out as early as this month on the engagement strategy. Thank you, Mr. Chair.