Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My comments are similar to those of my colleagues, but I’d like to make a number of comments on this budget. I think I have to start with the Stanton Hospital Project. I look at the Minister’s opening comments and he talks about funding for the renovation of the Stanton Territorial Hospital Project. According to the newspaper a week or so ago, it’s a brand new building and I thought I heard the Minister, in response to Mr. Bromley, state that we’re going to have a new hospital. So, I’m totally confused now.

I’m thoroughly looking forward to the briefing, which the Minister...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, I think I kind of heard the Minister tell me to hurry up and wait. Once the report is done, then we might maybe know whether or not we’re going to be responsible for the mine.

So, if we are responsible for the mine, what financial security is in place now, either with us or with the federal government, to look after the mine once it’s closed for us to reclaim the land and for us to do the environmental cleanup as required?

Thank you. I didn’t hear an answer to the question as to whose responsibility it is, and the Minister mentioned several governments. I guess I have to ask again, is the mine a responsibility of the NWT government or is it the responsibility of the federal government? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to acknowledge Frame Lake constituent Ms. Kirianne Ashley, a Grade 12 French immersion student at Ecole Sir John Franklin High School.

Ms. Ashley recently won a national French public speaking contest known as Concours d’art oratoire. First prize was a $32,000 scholarship to the University of Ottawa.

Kirianne was the first place winner at the territorial competition in the Late French Immersion category, and she went on to represent the NWT at the national finals in Ottawa last spring. It was there that she placed first in her category and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I find myself again having to address the House about problems in Education, Culture and Employment. Today I have to highlight shortcomings in the Student Financial Assistance program, unfortunately more than just one.

Over the summer I learned of two situations involving NWT residents, their desire to further their education and a Department of Education, Culture and Employment unwilling to adjust policies to accommodate them. Now, I realize and I accept that we have to have policies and that we have them for a reason, but they should not be so rigid as to defy logic.

C...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that we report progress.

---Carried

Thank you, Madam Chair. We wish to proceed with opening comments on the capital estimates.

If I heard the Minister correctly, then, if the mine does close permanently, because I understand this is a temporary closure, but if it closes permanently and they go bankrupt, they’re some $79 million in debt, from what I understand. I heard the Minister say that the mine will be transferred back to the federal government. I’d like to get him to confirm that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I’d like to ask the Minister some questions around a mine that straddles the Yukon/NWT border owned by Northern American Tungsten, and that’s the Cantung Mine. It’s reported that the Cantung Mine is going to be closing next month, at the end of October, and there is going to be a loss of jobs, certainly, when the mine closes. There’s going to be a loss of resource revenues to us, and particularly my concern is that there’s going to be a cost to the government environmentally.

My first...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to welcome two Frame Lake constituents, long-standing members of the city of Yellowknife. I call them, I think they’re builders of our community, Gladys and Albert Eggenberger. I’m very pleased to see you guys here, and welcome to your visitors as well.