Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we will provide that information to committee and I will also encourage committee that there is the Mackenzie data stream site that is up and running now where a lot of samples are taken and posted on the site and we just did the launch in Fort Smith, I believe a little while ago, and then we did another launch in Ottawa, so there is a lot of useful information that is on that site. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I had the same type of questions for Talston River. So in the Talston River, I think Talston River just runs within the NWT from maybe I'm not 100 per cent sure, but I'm pretty sure all of the spots I know of the Talston River are all within the NWT. Is there that type of information? Even though this doesn't run from another jurisdiction, that type of information on the Talston River, say, going from Rocher River all the way back up to, say, Deskataway and Nonacho. I wonder if that is something that, if the same type of work goes on in the Talston, and if that information is available. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Dr. Kelly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. There is water quantity information available for the Talston River and intermittent water quality data, so those pieces of information could be made available as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Dr. Kelly. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chairman, what is intermittent water quality information? I know what the words mean, but what does that actually mean? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Dr. Kelly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. When there was funding available to do work and there was water quality samples that were taken, so there are chunks in the record where there isn't water quality data, and then there are times when there is, so we can provide the information that we do have, but it's not a consistent record for the entire time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Dr. Kelly. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, is intermittent water quality information on the Talston River sufficient for the department to do any mitigation, if necessary? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Dr. Kelly.
Could I have the question repeated, please? I didn't hear it.
Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question was: Is the intermittent water quality information sufficient to determine whether or not there needs to be any mitigations, and I am talking about mitigations as any development that is on the Talston River, mainly the dam in the spillway, so that's what I'm referring to. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Dr. Kelly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The data on the Talston and on the Tazin River is being analyzed in light of the transboundary water management agreement negotiations with Saskatchewan, so I'd be better prepared to answer that question when I've had the opportunity to review that data in more detail. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Is that data available to the department? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Dr. Kelly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We are analyzing the data that is available and we can make that data available once we have a report from it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Dr. Kelly. Seeing nothing further Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Sorry, one other quick question depending on answers. Page 80, water strategy action plan is being reduced. From 201516, we've seen this decline from 585 down to 325 for 201718. I believe this is money that's provided to perhaps Aboriginal governments to make sure they are engaged in implementation and negotiation of these agreements. Is that what this is for and why is it declining? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Dr. Kelly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This money is used for engagement when we were doing negotiations. We completed negotiations on two of the agreements and we have moved to implementation of those agreements, so the money has changed from contributions and grants to contract work to support the implementation of the agreements. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. That is what I suspected, but we still have outstanding negotiations with Saskatchewan, Nunavut, and the Yukon. The agreement from 2002 needs to be updated in light of what was negotiated with BC and Alberta. I know BC and Alberta were big ones, but Saskatchewan and Nunavut are still presumably fairly large, and then you have implementation now on top of that. Why does this continue to climb? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Dr. Kelly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The first round of consultation on the Yukon agreement and the Saskatchewan agreement was completed in previous years while we were doing the work on Alberta and BC, so we have less consultation to do on the agreements that will be coming forward. The timing of those agreements is spread out so we don't need the money in grants and contributions for that work at this time, as much money, and we know that we can do it with the amount that is in here now.
The other money has gone to contracts towards implementation of the two agreements that we have signed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Dr. Kelly. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks for that. I thank the ADM for the explanation. So, the money for the contracts, that would show up where in this function, under contract services, which has increased? Is that where it would show up? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Dr. Kelly.
Yes, that is where it would show up. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Dr. Kelly. Seeing nothing further from committee, I will call this section. Environment and Natural Resources, water resources, operations expenditure summary, total activity. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that this committee defer further consideration of the activity, water resources, under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Main Estimates 20172018, on page 79 at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. There is a motion to defer. The motion is on the floor and being distributed.
Carried
Committee, we will defer activity, water resources. Continuing on, the final activity, wildlife, can be found on pages 82 to 85. I will give committee a moment. If you have comments or questions, please let me know. While you are speaking, please indicate which page you are speaking to. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am mindful of my colleague across the way. Page 83 in the program details, there is sort of this nibbling away here of money in terms of biodiversity conservation, field operations, wildlife research and management. What is happening here? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Ms. Craig.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. There have been some reductions, both in 201617 and 201718. We have also reduced the budget that we had in place for some overtime and for doing the Dall sheep surveys. These were done in 201617. So there have just been some sunsetting of funds and some minor reductions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Craig. Mr. O'Reilly.
Okay, thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the explanation. I think there was one item from last year's budget. Sorry, I am going to spring this on my colleague from the Sahtu, but there were plans to do away with the check station at mile 222 on the Canol Road in the Mackenzie Mountains, and I think the department found ways to continue to do that work internally. Presumably, that station was still there this past summer, and we are looking at continuing that facility in 201718? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we are. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Nothing from Mr. O'Reilly. Seeing nothing, I will call this page, this activity. Environment and Natural Resources, wildlife, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $14,478,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Next we have a series of information items on pages 86 to 91, including lease commitments, Environment Fund, fur marketing service, revolving fund, and work performed on behalf of others. We can tackle this all at once. If you have comments or questions on any of these information items? Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have questions for the Minister about a number of climate change projects that are listed on page 90. My question is about the Climate Change Adaptation Project; the Environment and Climate Change Canada Climate Change fund; Environment and Climate Change Canada Watershed Management; and Environment and Climate Change Canada Water Research and Studies. What were the outcomes of these projects, and how have they been shared with the public? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Dr. Kelly.
