Debates of March 2, 2006 (day 40)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize a couple of constituents in the gallery. Mr. Les Blake from Fort McPherson and Debbie Greenland from Aklavik. I’d also like to welcome everyone else in the gallery.

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Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Gaylene Oskenekisses from Wrigley, as well, and welcome all her classmates. Mahsi.

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Mahsi, Mr. Menicoche. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think everybody’s been recognized except for one person. I’d like to recognize a close friend, Ms. Janet Marshall, who is one of the instructors with the course.

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Thank you, Mr. Dent. I’d also like to recognize a constituent of mine, Ms. Carol Beck, and welcome to anybody else who hasn’t been recognized yet.

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Enjoy our proceedings this afternoon. Oral questions.

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Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to be first at the trough.

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Make it worthwhile.

Just with respect to the article in the Yellowknifer on Wednesday, March 1st, with respect to gas guzzlers may pay more for registration. Which means that the larger vehicles, of which I have lots in my constituencies in the communities, we need those larger vehicles, they’re saying that because people own larger vehicles that their cost of registration will be that much more. Is this true, Mr. Speaker?

Mahsi, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister for Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 498-15(4): Energy Conservation Initiative For Vehicles

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the newspaper article referenced some initiatives that were taken by our Department of Transportation to look at reducing energy use. As part of the energy conservation action plan that was tabled in this House by our Premier, our intent with that initiative was to look at the concept of finding a way of rewarding people who used energy-efficient vehicles. It was not intended to look at increasing the cost of registration for vehicles that are of high consumption, but rather to look at what can be done to encourage use of vehicles that use less energy or less gas. It’s something that we’re looking at, or investigating, and have looked at other jurisdictions, but are moving away from this whole concept. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 498-15(4): Energy Conservation Initiative For Vehicles

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I was just wondering who sits on this committee because the last time I drove to Fort Simpson, there wasn’t a plug-in half way where I could plug in my hybrid vehicle, Mr. Speaker.

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So how far along has this plan progressed? I hope it’s not something that’s going to happen April 1st here. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 498-15(4): Energy Conservation Initiative For Vehicles

Mr. Speaker, I wasn’t aware the Member had a hybrid vehicle that he could plug in.

Mr. Speaker, we have taken the opportunity to review a number of initiatives across the government to see how we could incorporate better use of our facilities, our vehicles, and ways we can save on energy. This is one of them. This is something we thought might be of use. We’ve looked at it. We’ve looked at what’s happening in other jurisdictions. We’re not satisfied it’s going to work all that well, so we are moving away from it. So it’s not going to happen April 1st. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 498-15(4): Energy Conservation Initiative For Vehicles

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad to get that clarified because there are lots of misconceptions out there, especially, like I said, in the small communities who depend…Our hybrid vehicle is the four-by-four.

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Just with that, is the government even looking at hybrids themselves before they start forcing other people to move to smaller vehicles? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 498-15(4): Energy Conservation Initiative For Vehicles

Mr. Speaker, yes, we are looking at ways we can do things better and more efficient. We’re looking at trying to incorporate some hybrid vehicles. We do have plug-ins in the communities that allow us to use them. We’re looking at smart programs, smart driving programs for our employees that will require them to shut off their vehicles rather than leaving them running. We’re looking at putting remote heaters in some of our larger equipment so they don’t have to idle for long periods of time. So there’s a number of things we’re doing. We’re also trying to incorporate alternate energy systems for heat in some of our new buildings and we’re looking at pellet stoves and all these types of initiatives. We’re trying to do a number of things and this was one of them. We’ve, as I said earlier, moved away from it. It was not an attempt to increase the fees, as the paper has interpreted it, but was rather to target trying to reduce the fees for registration for people that are taking the initiative to buy or have vehicles that are energy efficient. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation not provided)

Mr. Speaker, the community I work with experienced firsthand the power outage in late January of this year, at which time there were no means of transportation in and out of the community, Mr. Speaker. The community airport does not have a backup generator. This is becoming a serious concern to the community members, Mr. Speaker. This puts the public at risk when the power goes out. No means of air transportation to and from the communities during these emergency crises. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation, can the Minister explain the emergency measures or plans to deal with these power outages in isolated community airports? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Mr. Speaker, in the case of the communities where they don’t have emergency backup generators for their airports, we expect the communities to use the flare pots that are available. In the event that there is a power outage or an emergency, that is the process that’s in place and that is acceptable for the federal legislation in the airports act. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think we need to go beyond that. Emergency crises in the community need to be really seriously looked into. Where I’d like to ask the Minister, can the Minister explain why the communities of Wekweeti, Gameti, and Whati don’t have any backup generators for their airports as part of their emergency measures during these power outages? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Mr. Speaker, federal legislation doesn’t require us to have backup generators in each community. Navigation Canada moved away from providing backup generators some time ago. The acceptable process is to use flare pots, and the flare pots are available in each of the communities that the Member has referenced and that is the acceptable process. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been brought to my attention, when I was visiting communities early February, that this became a bigger issue than what the Minister is outlining here. So I’d like to ask again, the Minister can commit to this House on the emergency plans, if his department can look into, he says there’s federal legislation that we have to follow, but at the same time legislation can be amended, as well. Can the Minister commit in this House to look into emergency measures to deal with power outages in the communities that have identified to have a backup generator? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Mr. Speaker, each airport facility operates under federal legislation and is required to have an emergency plan. There are only four communities, I believe, that have backup generators and that’s Yellowknife, Hay River, Inuvik, and Norman Wells. In the case of the smaller communities, the flare pots are the acceptable process and fall within the legislation that we are required to follow and that’s what we use in the case of an emergency. We don’t have a plan to put in emergency generators in any of these communities. In fact, the communities that had the emergency generators, in the case of Fort Smith, these were shut down and are being removed. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand where the department is going with this, but, at the same time, I think we need to take into consideration the communities’ concerns, especially coming from the chiefs of each community. This is becoming a problem in the community. More of a challenge in the community through, during the power outage when there’s an emergency crisis really there is no means of air transportation. But he’s saying that there’s a backup. I’d like to find out, he’s saying that, the Minister is saying really there are no plans in place to deal with the federal legislation, but I’m asking the department if they’re willing to investigate further to look into the emergency backup plan where Yellowknife, Hay River, Smith or different major communities do have them. I think we need to recognize isolated communities. We are the communities, as well. I think the Minister should really look into that. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Mr. Speaker, we are following the regulatory requirements under the Airports Act, the federal airports legislation. There is no requirement for this government to put in backup generators into the communities. We really don’t have the resources to put in backup generators in the communities, in the airports, and we don’t really have the resources to provide the maintenance and repairs this would all entail. So we don’t have the investment that’s required to do so. We have a plan that’s acceptable to the federal government and that’s the means that we are moving forward on this and providing emergency landing with flare pots. There is nothing wrong with that, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Referring back to my Member’s statement today, I will have questions for the Minister of ENR. Mr. Speaker, specific to the groups of GHL, resident, commercial harvesters, and non-residents, can the Minister tell us today, by breaking out individual groups, how many caribou each individual group takes yearly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for ENR, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we can tell you how many tags are given to the outfitters, how many resident tags we issue, and in terms of the subsistence aboriginal harvest, we don’t have any clear numbers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I personally think that’s a shame that we don’t know solid numbers of what we’re talking about. So, Mr. Speaker, referring back to my Member’s statement, I had spoken about a couple of options before we implement this strategy. So I’ll name them quickly. First, let’s get the real numbers out before we react. Second, let’s create a strategy to have unused tags returned to the department as in a deposit or return fee. Third, let’s create a progressive step so people can get a third and fourth tag at an increased cost. Would the Minister consider these as reasonable steps to consider before we implement this strategy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have the caribou strategy, which is a longer-term document. We have the interim measures, which as well speaks to some immediate actions that we’re going to take. We already have committed and we have the resources to do the counts of the animals this coming spring/summer. As well, we’re going to look at wolf predation and we will gather again in the fall when the information is in and we will see what other options possibly have to be looked at, once we know the numbers and if they’ve been verified or they’ve changed. I indicated when we started this process that these interim measures are not a singular event, but this is a process we’re engaging that’s going to be evolving in the coming months. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again the Minister has reaffirmed that we’re implementing a strategy with…(inaudible)…nobody wants wasted meat, whether they’re a GHL holder or they’re a resident or a non-resident. Nobody wants to make honest people do dishonest acts, in case we hit a cow instead of a bull. Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister going to do when the mistake factor happens when someone either shoots a cow by accident or they shoot two caribou when they only have one tag? What are we going to do about the honest factor? Thank you. Honest mistake factor, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do, in fact, have numbers. We have enough information that under the precautionary principle, we are compelled and I believe are compelled to act and err on the side of caution and conservation, which is what we are doing. In this process and time of transition of course, Mr. Speaker, we are going to recognize there may be some start-up glitches and an occasional case of mistaken identity. This is an issue of working with the users and the stakeholders to sustain the herds and to educate all the people involved on the new processes and we intend to approach it that way. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I have to say caution should have started maybe five years ago because we have declining herds and the Minister’s document basically tells me the last survey we had done on the caribou herd was in 2000 and some had not been surveyed for well over a decade. Mr. Speaker, we have two herds that have not even been surveyed, so we’re still dealing with unknowns. So yet again we’re acting without knowing the facts. So, Mr. Speaker, noting all my objections and noting the objections of fellow Members like Mr. Villeneuve, Mr. Speaker, the Minister is seeing all this opposition, so would he consider bringing these regulations back to MLAs and discuss these before they implement them in the back room sometime in the next couple months? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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