Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about the issue of oil tanks and the way that we should come up with a rebate program to help people with that expensive cost to replace them and certainly making sure that a good upkeep is kept on those tanks before an environmental problem comes. As I said in my Member’s statement today, an environmental problem with a leaky oil tank could lead to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Mr. Speaker, my first question to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources is: does the Minister agree that helping people make responsible choices should be an attitude, an action that this government should take? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree that personal responsibility is a critical issue and that the government has a role to support people, where possible, in providing the training, the skills and education to eventually make the right choices. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, in the last few months even my colleague Mr. Abernethy has raised the issue of public awareness about tank safety. I give him credit for that, Mr. Speaker. Well, it is time for this government to take words a little further and let’s start putting them to action. Would the Minister be interested in the idea or concept of developing a rebate program that could meet this need to help protect our citizens, protect our environment and show them that we care as a government and we do play a role in their lives? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we have committed, as a government, $60 million to look at alternative energy. We have worked with communities. We have worked with individuals to put out notices to make sure people check their tanks, make sure they check the fittings so they are not leaking, check the age, and make sure they are located properly. We are focusing all of our attention on moving to alternate energy. This type of rebate program could possibly be considered, but it wouldn’t strike me as an alternative energy initiative. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, as the Minister said, this government has a role in helping people. Would the government consider analyzing this situation to see if we could view it from what it could cost to help people change their tanks again to protect the environment and to save the bottom line where it is a very expensive process when they have to replace a tank after an oil spill? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to point out that the Housing Corporation as well assists with low income families that are in public housing. I will commit to look at the issue. This is an issue that clearly would be an income tested kind of arrangement where depending on how much you make and could afford to pay would depend, if possible, if there was a program where we do what you may be eligible for. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no guarantee that new tanks have a full life. What I am hearing in the public from people as well as industry folks who change these tanks is that the new tanks don’t seem to last very long, as I said earlier, due to low sulphur and quality of steel as being problems. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister commit today to this House that he will engage this issue immediately and see if he can have something we can bring back and discuss and review maybe by this fall? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I will discuss this issue with the departmental officials and we will be able to have a position paper on what we think is possible, if anything, and the issue of options if there is a plan to proceed. But I will commit by this fall that we will have something on this item. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
