Wendy Bisaro

To the Minister, I guess I’m feeling very puzzled. I’m sure my face looks puzzled. I don’t think that this is a difficult thing to tell us exactly what you are doing. There are 67 recommendations in this report. The Minister says they’re following the plan. Well, I want to know how you’re following the plan. There is any number of things in there that could be done sooner than other things in there.

Can the Minister give me some indication of two or three things they are trying to do first before they do the other 63 or 64?

Thank you, Madam Chair. We wish to consider Bill 3, Wildlife Act; and Committee Report 6-17(4), Report on the Review of Bill 3, Wildlife Act.

Thanks to the Minister. I’m pleased we’re going to try to achieve industry best standards. He’s mentioned several times the word “monitoring” and we’re going to be monitoring, and that’s part of my concern, is the scale of development, the pace of development> I need to know from the Minister how we’re going to determine that, how we’re going to slow things down if things are going too quickly, speed it up if maybe we think they’re not going fast enough, which is unlikely.

How are we going to measure, how are we going to monitor? It goes to my question about an independent oversight agency...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I’d like to follow up on my statement and ask him some questions with regards to fracking and the requirements that will be required of companies that are doing fracking.

Recently, the National Energy Board put in place new requirements for companies, but I’d like to, first off, ask the Minister… I mentioned in my statement, these requirements don’t force the companies to reveal the components of the fracking fluid, but I’d like to first know from the Minister whether or not the requirements...

Thank you, Madam Chair. At the outset, Madam Chair, I want to, as other Members have indicated, express my appreciation for the work that’s gone into this act but also for the previous act, which came through at the end of the 16th Assembly.

This act has been many years in the making and many people have worked on it. In my mind, it’s unfortunate that this act has been as divisive as it has been. It has pitted Northern residents against Northern residents. That’s been the unfortunate part of the act for me.

However, on the positive side, there has been a huge amount of cooperation amongst groups...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister for that response. I would urge the government to consider, very seriously, establishing an independent oversight body.

My last question has to do with the fact that we’ve talked a lot about the Bakken formation, the people that visited there and so on, and it sounds as though we are thinking about putting in place the same sort of system that exists in the Bakken. However, the Bakken doesn’t have permafrost and doesn’t have melting permafrost. So what are we thinking about doing differently, to accommodate fracking in a permafrost zone? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for the information. I didn’t hear an answer to my question, so I guess I’ll have to phrase it a little differently.

I’m pleased to hear that the government is going to be working with various organizations. One of the things that is in place is the Sahtu Land Use Plan and I’m not exactly sure how the government will use the Sahtu Land Use Plan and consider that in terms of fracking development. So there’s that and there’s also the question about whether or not there will be an independent environmental monitoring agency such as we have for Ekati. Will there be that for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve heard a lot about fracking in the last few weeks and months, and I haven’t had much to say to date, but I feel it’s time for me to speak out.

I have been following the statements and exchanges in the House, the media reports and so on. The Economic Development and Infrastructure committee has been at the forefront of the fracking issue for the House, doing the research, considering the pros and cons, and monitoring the exploration and development in the Sahtu. I’ve tried to stay abreast of the info flowing to and from the committee, but it’s a challenge, given my...

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

---Carried

Thank you, Madam Chair. Committee would like to deal with Tabled Document 134-17(4), Tabled Document 135-17(4) and, if we have time, Bills 17, 18, 19 and 21. Thank you, Madam Chair.