Debates of March 17, 2004 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Premier provided the right answer today when asked by the Member for the Sahtu whether or not this government is prepared to, in correspondence with the federal government's initiative, form some kind of a committee with a mandate to oversee some of the issues related to the pipeline. I think that time is of the essence on this. There are lots of communities that are waiting with a great deal of anticipation to learn how they can plug in and benefit from a lot of different benefits which may accrue to northerners as a result of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline.

So I want to talk about the appointment of such a committee, the formation of such a committee, and what might be in their mandate. I want to ask the Premier why this government would limit their interest in assisting people to issues of socioeconomic agreements, training and ownership. Those are the three that he mentioned. Why would other things be outside of that? I know from his visit to Hay River and other communities, he knows that there are other types of interest that communities have in terms of participation, and even in the environmental review process, things like that. It takes investment and finances to participate in some of these things, and I don't want to see northerners precluded from doing that. This is a very big event and it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity really to realize significant participation in this. So could the Premier speak to the issue of why just the three things that he mentioned would be exclusively the interest of this government? Thank you.

Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 22-15(3): Maximizing Benefits Of Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just for further clarification, the three things that I mentioned weren't meant as a comprehensive list of everything we were going to do. I think there are a lot of areas where we assist communities, whether it's in economic development or training, contracting, value-added benefits. There are a whole bunch. I didn't list them all. I was answering the question which was asked specifically with regard to impact benefit agreements and access agreements. Those are things that would flow out of the claims and so on. So those are issues that we have not historically gotten involved in; certainly not gotten involved in with the mining operations. The access and benefit agreements are things that will be negotiated, I am sure, by the aboriginal governments and communities along the pipeline right-of-way, but that's something that is not part of what we have been involved in in the mining sector. As I said, I expect that will be the same case with the pipeline. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 22-15(3): Maximizing Benefits Of Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess that's my point. I find that interesting, because these are our communities, these are our constituents, and I don't know why we would limit our interests in seeing benefits flow just to these things that have been mentioned. I don't know why we wouldn't want to assist. So if a community or a corporation or an aboriginal government were interested in some of these things that the Premier has referred to, where's the office, where's the central agency, where's the access, where's the entry point, where's the window for them to get support from this government? Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Further Return To Question 22-15(3): Maximizing Benefits Of Pipeline Development

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development does have a section or a secretariat, division -- I'm not sure what it's called -- that deals with Mackenzie Valley development and it deals very much with the pipeline readiness. So that would be the window right now for people who are interested in information on what assistance may be made available. Mr. Speaker, I like the suggestion that was made by the Member for Sahtu today, that we set up a ministerial-lead joint committee that would look at the issues around the pipeline, and that's something that we're ready to pursue immediately. In fact, it will be, I am sure, on the agenda for our Cabinet strategy meeting tomorrow. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 22-15(3): Maximizing Benefits Of Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad to hear that because that was one question I was going to ask. I was going to ask what kind of a timetable, because, as I said at the beginning of my preamble on my first question, time is of the essence. So we need to move on this fairly quickly, and we need to be very proactive. I don't think the Premier's reference to a department of which he didn't know the name in RWED is really that visible a source of support or information for communities and other governments. So I want to know what the plan is to raise the visibility of the initiatives this government is willing to take with respect to assisting people to realize the benefits from the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Further Return To Question 22-15(3): Maximizing Benefits Of Pipeline Development

Mr. Speaker, I would be pleased to provide the Members with a list or a description of the mandate of the Mackenzie Valley planning group in RWED, in terms of the mandate that they have. There may be other areas that we would want to consider as a government for providing further assistance. There are certainly other parts of our government that provide assistance, through Education, MACA and other areas. So there are a lot of services that we provide to those who are interested in economic opportunities, including the pipeline but not limited to the pipeline.

Mr. Speaker, I think the best way of dealing with this…I like the suggestion of setting up a joint committee, and that may be the way of identifying what the issues are and moving forward proactively. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 22-15(3): Maximizing Benefits Of Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly do look forward to the formation and appointment of such a committee. I would also like to see though -- and I would ask the Premier if he would concur -- that the terms of reference for the mandate of this committee needs to not be restrictive in terms of where they might go in terms of identifying opportunities for this government to assist northerners regardless of where they live, and what other kinds of corporations they have in their communities to access support and help. That the terms of reference would not be restrictive and let this be decided by the committee. Thank you.

Mr. Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 22-15(3): Maximizing Benefits Of Pipeline Development

Mr. Speaker, I think the only limitation we would have on the terms of reference for the proposed committee would be the mandate of this government. If it's within our mandate, then we deal with it. Thank you.