Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Mr. Beaulieu.

Are we okay with moving on to detail?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my statement I talked about the effects of fracking. The consequences of fracking as a development process are becoming more and more evident within Canada and throughout North America. We are starting to become more and more aware of some of the consequences.

My questions are addressed to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. I would like to ask the Minister what the GNWT is doing to educate itself, its residents and other orders of NWT governments about the effects of fracking. I have to say again that we need the facts on fracks. I would like to know...

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the last few years we’ve heard increasingly about the mining process called hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as fracking, is a process where sand, water and chemicals are blasted into rock formations, such as shale, coal beds and tight sands, to gain access to trapped natural gas deposits. This injection process creates cracks in the rock formations and allows the gas to flow up the well.

Fracking has been linked to earthquakes in the United States, caused gas infiltrations into aquifers and, thus, several communities’ water supply...

Thank you, Minister Beaulieu. Mr. Elkin.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Minister Lafferty.

Thank you, Minister. Committee, we are open for general comments. Are there any general comments on the Department of Health and Social Services? Seeing none, we will move on to detail. We will bypass the department summary on page 6-2 and move to page 6-4, Health and Social Services, activity summary, health services programs, infrastructure investment summary, total infrastructure investment summary, $28.089 million. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. I didn’t hear a question there. Did you want to respond, Minister Lafferty?