Wendy Bisaro

Page 8-7, Education, Culture and Employment, activity summary, education and culture, infrastructure investment summary, total infrastructure investment summary, $12.344 million. Mr. Bromley.

Thanks to the Minister. I didn’t hear much about research. I heard we’re going to look into it; we’re starting in the Sahtu. I think it’s important that we consider that it’s not just the Sahtu; it’s undoubtedly going to end up in the southwestern corner of our territory. So I would urge the Minister, with the Minister of ENR, to go well beyond just the Sahtu.

One of the things that I mentioned in my statement is that I believe it’s a responsibility of government to protect residents, and one of the things that I think we can do as a government, if we feel that there are implications for a...

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.