Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think I need to go too much further than what has been offered here already today, but I do want to make it very clear that I am certainly in full support of this motion. I am certainly glad that it is here today to discuss and hear.

I think that when we hear the narrative provided by people like Mr. Bromley, who in some ways is an historian on this particular issue, he has seen the passage of time on this particular project. He complains about his grey hair. When I started the Assembly, I had a full head of hair. See what this has done to me?

In all seriousness...

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Your loyal and hardworking Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure is pleased to report on the review of Bill 3, Wildlife Act, and commends it to the House.

Bill 3, the Wildlife Act, is a product of over 15 years of work to replace existing wildlife legislation which dates back to 1978. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure conducted extensive public consultation on the bill and has reached consensus among its members that the legislation is ready for consideration by the Committee of the Whole.

Bill 3 was referred to the...

I appreciate the Minister’s answer. I think what’s important here today in the dialogue, are these are some of the concerns we’re going to build on, and certainly we want Northerners to give us feedback.

Earlier today it was talked about the Bakken. There was a rupture in the pipeline and 20,000 barrels of crude had spilled. For two weeks no one was informed. That was almost the exact same time this study tour was there.

One of the things that had arisen when we were in Alberta last year, talking to the BC regulators and the Alberta regulators, is about full disclosure of information.

I ask the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to use the occasion today to ask questions to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I understand that the department is developing a fracking policy, or I should say potentially developing a policy on hydraulic fracking here in the Northwest Territories.

Before we ask specifics about the policy, when will a policy be developed so Members can see it? Is the Minister committed to bringing this policy public at the same time so all members of our territory can have a look at it as to what the government is thinking along the lines of this initiative...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Of course, my colleague will remain nameless on this next point, but I will really point out about the thin opportunities for Yellowknife in this capital budget, and I will let the people figure out from the record which MLA said that.

The reality here is that we are not asking for a college to be built. What it is, is a planning study. I think what happens here is that in order to see vision as to where this college should be going, it gives a chance to re-evaluate what’s being done now.

Not all college programming is created equal, not all campuses are created equal...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee strongly recommends that the government take immediate action to identify the funding necessary to commence the planning study for the construction of a stand-alone Yellowknife Campus facility for Aurora College in the fiscal year 2014-2015; and furthermore, that the government actively pursue partnership with other organizations and governments such as the City of Yellowknife to support this initiative. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to move a motion on page 8-7 regarding J.H. Sissons School and the renovation.

I move that this committee strongly recommends that the government take immediate action to identify the funding necessary to commence renovations on Ecole J.H. Sissons School in the fiscal year 2014-2015. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Menicoche.

The committee is well aware of the significance of wildlife to the people of the Northwest Territories and the complexity of developing new wildlife management legislation. Bill 3, the Wildlife Act, is the culmination of years of effort, dedication and inestimable investment of talent, interest and emotion on the part of a group of people as wide and diverse as the North itself. The Northwest Territories has undergone significant change since the new act was initially developed, and the committee recognizes that it is no small achievement to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recognizing a point that this is going to be before committee and it’s tough for the Minister to answer all the questions, the one thing I would notice is clear contrast between North Dakota and even Saskatchewan, in this case, and the Northwest Territories is public land ownership versus private land ownership. One of the things they can’t seem to get control of is pace of development. It seems they’re in such a hurry to get it out of the ground, and it’s focused around the interests of these oil companies.

My question for the Minister of Environment and Natural...

On the recent hydraulic fracturing tour that Member Bromley referenced, that we had gone with the Minister and many others, we had heard from Saskatchewan officials, one in particular – I believe he was a bioengineer of some sort or a biochemist – and he put great emphasis on the quality of the water being used and the fact that they’re not monitoring the fracking fluids that go in and come out. In their case, yes, they agreed that they go in and then much of it comes out, but they don’t know where it goes after that.

I suggested, well, why don’t we put tracers or markers in these things so we...