Debates of June 4, 2015 (day 83)

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I attended a strategy meeting up in the Beaufort-Delta and it was a really good presentation; however, what it lacked was what other big projects are going throughout the Northwest Territories. It just focused on the Inuvik region, specifically the Inuvik Tuk Highway, and that’s great.

On page 55 of this new strategy, there’s a big blue arrow up there on the map. It’s the all-weather road to the Slave Geological Corridor. Things like that could have been presented to the community of Inuvik, Sahtu, the Deh Cho.

Knowing that this is going to become a priority of government but was not a big priority of the 17th Legislative Assembly when we sat down when we began this whole process of looking at what our priorities were, can I ask the Minister, at what point did the all-weather road into the Slave Geological Corridor become a priority of this government, or will it be in the transition document for the 18th or the 19th Assemblies? Can I ask the Minister if that’s something that this government is going to invest in before the end of this term? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The road into the Slave Geological Province has been contemplated and has been a priority of government for over 20 years. We must recognize that with new devolution, a lot of our resource revenues are coming from the diamond industry. What we need to do is we’re trying to find a quicker or more efficient way for them to get their freight and fuel into the Slave Geological. We are contemplating building some of the current winter road into an all-season road to make it more feasible for the diamond mines to extend their life and to continue to provide resource revenues to this government and to the federal government.

It hasn’t been something where we said, “We’re going to look at that and we’re not going to look at another major project.” We have put in for the Mackenzie Valley under one proposal. We’re talking with industry. We’re talking with Nunavut about extending the road into the Slave Geological. So there are a few of the projects at play here, including the road into the Tlicho region. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. I would like to ask him questions about the 2015 NGO stabilization funding. The Non-Government Organization Stabilization Fund was established, I think, about two or three years ago now, three years, I think, and it’s been quite successful. When it was initially established there were some fairly large growing pains. Organizations had a tough time getting information. They had a very tough time in getting the money in a timely manner. Over the years, when it was with the Department of the Executive, things improved greatly.

As Members know, this was transferred to the Department of MACA in this fiscal year and I’ve learned just recently that the call has gone out. It was received on June 2nd by the non-government organizations and the turnaround time is just over two weeks.

So, Mr. Speaker, my first question in looking at the policy that sits on MACA’s website, it’s under Applications, number 4. It states: “A call for applications will be issued yearly. The call will be issued before May 31st each year. The application period will be at least three weeks and no more than five weeks long.”

So I’d like to ask the Minister how it is that the information on the 2015 fund went out on June 2nd and how the turnaround period is less than three weeks. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister of Lands, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will commit to the Member that I will follow up on that. I appreciate her bringing it to my attention. The fact that she’s able to do that proves that we’re very capable of working together quite closely. So I will follow up on that and share it with the Member. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for the commitment; however, it doesn’t really tell me much.

Is the Minister going to correct the time period for applications? Right now it’s less than three weeks. NGOs have a very difficult time putting things together. They’re not usually full-time people working with the organization, so I’m asking the Minister, in looking into it, will he commit to extend it to the three-week time period which is set in his policy? Thank you.

If it’s set in a policy, and there was a bit of confusion there, once I review that and the policy says it’s supposed to be a certain time period, I will correct it. Thank you.

I’d like to thank the Minister. I think the NGOs would certainly look forward to that correction. So I would just ask the Minister, will he advise Members as well as NGOs when he makes that decision? Thank you.

This is a bit of a learning curve for our folks over at the department, too, because NGOs we just received, I think, on April 1st of this year, so we’re just learning this as we go along. So, I will commit to the Member that I will inform everyone involved when the decision is made. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member for Hay River South, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for Minister Miltenberger. Can the Minister describe to me what the GNWT rate equalization program is?

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Minister of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That fund is a Government of the Northwest Territories fund that is set up to subsidize the power rates in the NUL thermal communities, of which there are four, to subsidize those rates down to the NTPC thermal community rate and that subsidization is about half a million dollars a year of government money into the NUL subsidy of their rates. Thank you.

Can the Minister clarify which groups and which corporations are paid this subsidy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There are four thermal communities where the distributor of power is Northland Utilities, ATCO, and in those four communities there’s a subsidy program that is funded by the Government of the Northwest Territories to make sure that the NUL rate that the customers pay is the same as the NTPC thermal rate. So, you have the two distributors and the government subsidizes to make sure that people across the Northwest Territories are treated equally when it comes to buying power in their communities, and that requires a subsidy, in this case, of half a million dollars a year.

I’ll ask the Minister how he could describe this. Why do we do it this way as opposed to just letting the rate be in those areas and we just pay through the Territorial Power Subsidy Program?

The Territorial Power Support Program is geared more for residential tenants. This is a special arrangement between the two distributors and, in fact, in Hay River it is in addition to this subsidy program through the thermal communities, Hay River as well, because their rates are 30 percent higher than their neighbours. They get about $360,000 a year subsidy, as well, to be paid by the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am just wondering if I can get clarification. So, the GNWT provides half a million dollars to NUL to operate in the communities, not in Hay River or Yellowknife, in the other communities where it’s too costly to operate right now.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Where the distributor is ATCO, and that’s four communities. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table to following document, entitled “GNWT Response to the 2014 NWT Energy Charrette Report, June 2015.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents, entitled “Inter-activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 for the Period April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015,” “Program Review Office Annual Report, June 2014” and “Executive Summary: Program Review Office Annual Report 2014.” Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Feasibility Study of Universal Affordable Daycare in the Northwest Territories.” Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure continues its review of the proposed hydraulic fracturing filing regulations. I am pleased to table its Research Summary: Draft Hydraulic Fracturing Filing Regulations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Yakeleya.

I have three documents to table. The first one is on the Diamond Mining Impact on People, Wildlife in Northwest Territories of Canada. Another document tabled is Resolution No. 4 regarding fracking from the Sahtu Secretariat Annual General Meeting, August of 2014. I have a third document to table, it’s from the Northern News web poll in the Deh Cho, Thursday May 7, 2015, with the question: Do you support fracking in the Northwest Territories? With 60 percent saying yes, 40 percent saying no.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Colleagues, we’re going to call a 15-minute break.

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WHEREAS many people in the NWT are greatly concerned about serious and lasting impacts of horizontal hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on their health, water, air, climate, fish, wildlife, land and communities;

AND WHEREAS water is one of our most precious resources and the foundation of our ecosystem, and the majority of water contaminated with hydraulic fracturing chemicals is poisoned forever and must ultimately be stored underground with unknown future risk;

AND WHEREAS scientists have determined that 80 percent of currently known unrecovered reserves of fossil fuels, including those in the NWT, must remain in the ground if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change and associated risks to human civilization;

AND WHEREAS regional and community Aboriginal government motions calling for a hold, a moratorium or a ban on fracking until a comprehensive public review of the practice can be conducted have been passed by the Sahtu Secretariat Inc., the Gwich’in Tribal Council, the Dehcho First Nations, the Akaitcho Government, the Dene Nation, and the Liidlii Kue First Nation;

AND WHEREAS a petition containing 1,142 signatures was tabled on June 2, 2015, urging GNWT to put a moratorium on fracking permits until a comprehensive, transparent and public review of the cumulative environmental, social and economic risks and benefits of the process is completed and the NWT public clearly indicates whether the risks and benefits are acceptable or not;

AND WHEREAS on May 8, 2014, the NWT Elders Parliament unanimously supported a motion calling for a moratorium on fracking in the NWT;

AND WHEREAS on March 12, 2014, a petition was presented in this House that was signed by 796 people from at least 24 NWT communities insisting that the GNWT exercise its authority under the MVRMA to refer future fracking applications to a full environmental assessment that includes public hearings was presented in this House;

AND WHEREAS recent public engagements on proposed fracking regulations have heard from people throughout the Northwest Territories, some of whom called for a moratorium and public consideration of the question of whether we want to pursue fracking in the Northwest Territories or not;

AND WHEREAS the Council of Canadian Academies released a report in April 2014, titled “Environmental Impacts of Shale Gas Extraction in Canada” that looked at horizontal fracking for both gas and oil, and recommends a cautious approach to fracking and says more research and information is needed on its impacts;

AND WHEREAS many jurisdictions around the globe, including the Canadian jurisdictions of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec and New Brunswick, have imposed moratoria or bans on fracking, at least until further research and review;

AND WHEREAS our neighbouring Legislature in Yukon conducted a comprehensive and public review of fracking over two years and was unable to come to agreement on whether the risks of fracking are acceptable;

AND WHEREAS the impacts of horizontal hydraulic fracturing are wide-ranging and not well understood, especially in the North with the added complications of permafrost;

AND WHEREAS community members of all ages wish to be fully informed, consulted and involved in discussions around fracking and the risks and benefits in their regions;

AND WHEREAS the Northwest Territories needs more baseline information and better monitoring plans that involve elders, the community and traditional knowledge;

AND WHEREAS fracking operations in one region of the NWT will have impacts on every other region of the NWT;

AND WHEREAS the oil and gas industry has indicated that given current and forecast economic conditions, they are unlikely to be active with fracking operations in the NWT for a number of years;

AND WHEREAS the Northwest Territories has the authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing within our jurisdiction;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that the government immediately establish a moratorium on horizontal hydraulic fracturing activity for at least two years, or until the completion of a comprehensive, transparent and public review of the cumulative environmental, social and economic risks and benefits of the process. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The motion is in order. To the motion. I would like to welcome into the House former Speaker in Nunavut, Mr. Hunter Tootoo.

---Applause

It’s always good to have my relatives come in. To the motion. Mr. Bromley.

Mr. Speaker, this motion is a reflection of the voice of the people of the Northwest Territories. They have written a petition, phoned, e-mailed, demonstrated, spoken at engagement sessions and petitioned, again, all without a single nod from either the Premier or the Minister of Industry to indicate that their voices have been heard.

The whereases of this motion speak clearly to those broad and deeply felt concerns about fracking, perspectives that have been clearly expressed by all of our regional Aboriginal governments and by all of those jurisdictions that have instituted bands and moratoria on fracking.

Concern for water is one of the first and most fervent ones I hear about from our residents. People consider water our most precious resource, our most precious and life-sustaining resource. They tell me that permanently contaminating great volumes of it with hydraulic fracturing chemicals and ultimately storing it in this state under unknown security forever is against their values, disrespectful and against the laws of nature. Many are knowledgeable about the science behind the impacts of fracking and point out the commonality between their concerns about water, their values and the concerns being expressed in scientific studies.

People are also not convinced that the NWT regulator is able to regulate fracking safely when so many people have expressed concerns; when the Canadian Council of Academies study, commissioned by Environment Canada, underscores the unknown risks involved; and where there are incidences of such failures to successfully manage risks, failures that resulted in human illness and health impacts, polluted service and potable underground water bodies, toxic air emissions and soaring greenhouse gas emissions. People know of the hordes of non-disclosure agreements that attempt to, and often do, obscure the facts.

I appreciate the Minister’s and regulator’s apparent confidence as he promotes this form of exploitation, but I cannot help but see the people’s point that he has no experience on which to base this dangerously naive endorsement of such a controversial practice.

Our public has watched our neighbour, the Yukon Legislature, conduct a comprehensive, transparent, thorough and public review of fracking and come to the conclusion, similar to the Canadian Council of Academies, that they could not agree that it was safe and the risks manageable. All of this over a two-year period, while our residents passed a blanket of regional government resolutions and territory-wide petitions with record numbers of signatures in repeated but unsuccessful efforts to get GNWT to recognize the degree of concern that people have.

At the same time, people were calling for participation in an environmental review of ConocoPhillips’ proposed fracking projects. Despite the opportunity to hear the people’s voice and despite having the power to support the public’s call, the ConocoPhillips project went ahead without this review, “partly,” our government said, “to demonstrate how fracking can be done safely.” Where are the evaluation projects residents were led to expect?

People have heard about the many close calls, the jackknifed trucks of produced water, the onsite incidents and accidents with the water and sewage spills. They know that there were months of gas flaring, but they are told the types and amounts of emissions are proprietary for now.

People are clearly calling for a discussion of what the science says about the risks of the fracking, what elders’ traditional knowledge says about fracking, and what the concerns of our youth are, as our youth are the ones most affected by our decisions today.

Our people have questions, opinions, thoughts, insights, and values that they want to present and have considered. They are saying they aren’t being heard and that this is unacceptable.

The Premier says we worked so hard for devolution of authority over our land and resources in order to give the people of the North a voice and bring governance home to reside with the people. Well, we have devolved, but this government chooses not to hear the people despite the clear and persistent communications through all the channels available to them. For shame. For shame.

You will hear about balance and how we must weigh the health of our planet against the jobs in energy our people need. Yet again, people and scientists tell me we have balanced ourselves into a place where our addiction to oil is now threatening human civilization’s very survival. Balance has brought us worldwide and extreme water woes and species extinctions unseen since the last big planetary catastrophe, and disastrous weather patterns, all of which cumulatively dwarf the benefits of any last gasp attempts to exploit remote, extremely expensive and barely accessible fossil fuels. If this is balance, people want none of it here in the Northwest Territories.

People want a thorough discussion about fracking, but they are not opposed to truly sustainable development. They have many perspectives to share on how to pursue those opportunities, but this is beyond the scope of this motion. The motion today reflects their call for a minimum two-year moratorium on fracking, or until a comprehensive public review of the risks of fracking is completed and the public indicates whether those risks are acceptable or not.

There is an old Navajo proverb that you can’t wake up a person who is pretending to be asleep. I sincerely hope there are exceptions to this observation and that this Minister, this regulator, and this Premier will stop pretending to be deaf to the people’s voice. Wake up and show it with their support for this motion.

I thank my seconder, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, and my colleagues for their support in bringing this motion forward, and I look forward to further discussion.

I will be calling for a recorded vote.