Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am sure that I move that we report progress.

---Carried

I guess I have to say to the Minister that that doesn’t give me much comfort. What is the purpose of negotiating a price? What is the purpose of having a guaranteed contract if there is no guarantee that we won’t go over cost?

I understand that there are still a number of financial elements that are being negotiated that haven’t yet been finalized. I would like to ask the Minister what elements of the project are still under negotiation and have yet to be finalized. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to address my questions today to the Minister of Transportation. I understand that we finally have a signed contract for the construction of the Inuvik-Tuk highway. Apparently it is a guaranteed price. I am very glad to hear that, but I am extremely skeptical that this project will be completed in the allotted budget.

I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation, first of all, knowing that any project endures changes to its original project description, what exists in this contract to protect the GNWT from cost overruns due to change orders as the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had the opportunity last week to witness another step in the evolution of devolution. I am referring to the hearings held here in Yellowknife by the Parliament of Canada Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Northern Affairs on Bill C-15, a federal bill amending the NWT Act and the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, MVRMA. It was a long but most interesting day. In general, the presentations were thoughtful, well presented, and the passion and commitment of the organizations behind the words was evident.

It is well known that there is no unanimity here in the NWT...

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

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very happy to rise and support this motion. As people probably know, I have a bit of a passion for education. The intent of this Education Renewal Initiative is to use the most current educational research finding and promising practices of the 21st Century. That’s the intent. I’m not sure we’re getting there, but we will.

Education systems are very complex and changing them requires multiple concurrent initiatives. It requires motivation and collaborations if we are to make the change successful. Given the additional layers of complexities in the NWT, it’s even more...

I have to ask the Minister how he can say that they are taking a look at them when we have a letter from the project team which rejects these recommendations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask a few further questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I’d like to follow up with some of the things he referenced in some of his answers, one of which disturbed me when the Minister, at one point, said get on with it, we need to get on with the project. It goes back to my unfortunate feeling that everybody connected with that project wants to just get on with it and they aren’t willing to consider residents’ concerns.

The Minister mentioned delays that would be caused by accepting recommendations by the environmental assessment...

I’m afraid we have to agree the work that the Minister is doing is going to be in the best interest of NWT residents. This project, albeit they may be working hard at trying to do the cleanup, it’s not in the best interests of residents. Over half of the recommendations are suggested by the Giant team. The project team is suggesting that over half of the recommendations be modified or rejected.

I’d like to know from the Minister why is it so important that 50 percent, more than 50 percent of the recommendations from the MVERB report, why is it so important that they be rejected. Cost should be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement. I want to ask the Minister with regard to the project team’s response to the environmental assessment on the Giant Mine.

On October 21st this House passed a motion which said, “that the Government of the Northwest Territories accept the measures and suggestions contained in the report of the environmental assessment,” and that motion was passed by the House.

Eleven days later the project team released a letter to the public, and that was...