Debates of October 20, 2004 (day 24)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of RWED. My Member’s statement was about the federal government’s unacceptable delay in dealing with the radioactive, contaminated soil mountain in Tulita, as well as other contaminated soil mountains in the Northwest Territories. I find it infuriating and I’m upset that the federal government has taken this long to deal with the issue and take action on it. Mr. Speaker, it’s well past its time that this issue should be resolved. My question to the Minister is will the Minister approach the federal government Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Natural Resources to stop this jurisdiction’s foolishness and meet with the Minister to finally resolve this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of RWED, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 261-15(3): Cleanup Of Contaminated Sites In The Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can tell the Member that I share his frustration and I think many northerners do as well. It’s obviously a difficult legacy that we have from past industrial use, military use and other uses across the North, and across the entire country in fact, that we have a number of contaminated sites and these sites need to be cleaned up. The Member is right that there has been a lot of discussion between federal departments over the last 10 years. There was an acknowledgement and recognition in the early '90s that contaminated soil had to be dealt with in the Tulita area and, indeed, along the entire uranium transportation route. But there was a temporary solution found in Tulita with the express commitment to find a permanent solution. We are still waiting for that permanent solution.

I know after meeting with the community this summer -- the Member was there as well -- concerns were raised and I committed to the community that I would look into it, I would talk to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. I have been keeping the Member apprised of those discussions going forward, but we do need a comprehensive long-term solution. I have spoken to Minister Dion, Minister of the Environment, about our contaminated sites and the need to deal with them quickly, but I will commit to meeting with Minister Efford, the Minister of NRCAN who has the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission under him, and raise the same concerns. It is high time we had this deal addressed, especially, Mr. Speaker, given the fact that we’re looking and hoping for devolution. We want to make sure that the parties who benefited from the extraction of these resources, mainly the federal government, clean up the mess. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 261-15(3): Cleanup Of Contaminated Sites In The Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Minister. The temporary solutions; I don’t know the definition of the federal government’s meaning of temporary. It’s been 10 years we’ve stored it in Tulita and finally the Minister is willing to look at this on behalf of the people in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Minister when will he approach these federal agencies. Can he give me a specific time when he will approach the federal agencies to start the action to clean up the mess as he said? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 261-15(3): Cleanup Of Contaminated Sites In The Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is right. In the early '90s, this temporary solution and the creation of this engineered soil in Tulita was constructed, and 10 years indeed seems like a long time to be temporary. We do know that the low level radioactive waste management office has done a number of studies and surveys. They assure us that the contaminated mound poses no risk to people or the environment in its present condition. Nevertheless, obviously it needs to be cleaned up. There was a federal government commitment to do that cleanup. As I said, I’ve just recently, in the last month, had a conversation with Minister Dion and at my next opportunity to meet with NRCAN Minister Efford I will raise this issue again. The Member is right; 10 years is not acceptable and indeed is not temporary. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 261-15(3): Cleanup Of Contaminated Sites In The Sahtu

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, people in Tulita, with regard to the mound there that’s close to the airport, have a lot of emotions associated because of the high rate of cancer in the region here. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister report back within a month that he has met with the federal agencies and that he will table letters in the House indicating that this has been done, including the response from the federal government at the earliest possibility? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 261-15(3): Cleanup Of Contaminated Sites In The Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll certainly report back the next time we sit and I can give the Member a progress update. Unfortunately, we won’t be sitting in a month’s time, but after Christmas I can certainly provide that update. Mr. Speaker, it’s important for us to recognize that when we talk about the uranium transportation route, there are other sites where uranium product was transferred. Those sites are also a concern to us. We’re concerned about the soils near Sawmill Bay, Bennett Landing and Tulita; we’ve mentioned that. Also at Fort Smith. So there are a number of sites that the federal government needs to pay some serious attention to and, with that in mind, I’ll certainly urge the federal government to do that and I’ll provide their responses to the Member when we next meet. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 261-15(3): Cleanup Of Contaminated Sites In The Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if a favourable response is not received from the federal government within a reasonable time, will the Minister consider legal action to force the federal government to fulfill its legal obligations and to do something for the people of the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 261-15(3): Cleanup Of Contaminated Sites In The Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a host of sites that need to be dealt with. It is, and I believe it is, and the government believes it is, a federal obligation to deal with those. Because of the ongoing devolution discussions, we have to get this squared away. As I’ve said, we are not interested in inheriting all the baggage from the resource extraction or baggage from past military sites. So we have to find a way to force the federal government to clean up these sites. I think it was a positive step to see the amount of money earmarked in the recent budget for contaminated sites across the country. There were a number of contaminated sites in the Northwest Territories that got specific mention. I thought that was encouraging, but obviously we have to sit down and come to some agreement on a strategy as a government and I’d certainly like to engage committee in that discussion. I think we need a plan for all of the sites and I want to make sure that we don’t get off track here by focusing entirely on proposed legal action over one site. I’d like to talk about a comprehensive strategy for dealing with all of our sites in the NWT, but, as I said, I would like to bring that back and have that discussion around that strategy with committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.