Richard Edjericon

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yeah, I think this is a be a discussion on this one here. I just wanted to let you know that I was also involved at the Mackenzie Valley Impact Review Board as a chairman for six years and we also were really concerned about the water and transboundary. So we also made arrangements to work with the Alberta government on the transboundary agreement to share information. And that information, to me, was really important because we kind of the mandate, the review board at the time was making sure that we protect the wildlife, the air, and the fish.

And I guess the other...

Just one more I think. I'm just thinking about the on the Giant Mine public hearing, we had many intervenors or proponents etcetera, like DFO, department of the environment, and all the aboriginal groups, etcetera. So if you were to find in your reports and fish studies etcetera, or water quality, you have an opportunity to probably work with the Alberta government and try to I guess address those issues. But also my question would be is that during the water licence process, are we involved in that process too as well through your department and Alberta? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you for your answer. Also, can you tell me exactly how many contaminated sites are there, we're looking at here? I'm assuming you guys did the study, that for the Northwest Territories. The question is to the Minister. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yeah, and I think thank you for your answer. And you also mentioned that you're also working with the local harvesters as well I'm assuming, and if you are, then you're also working closely with the Indigenous governments as well and to put an end to some of these activities.

I guess, Mr. Chairman, I don't I mean, I'm thinking here is that we got this section is a really interesting section but I just want to say that, you know, as a former Chief, I you know, when I used to go to assemblies and the Minister comes in and they do their speech and we try to ask...

Thank you. Well, just reviewing these couple of pages here, including the graphs and that in there, and then also on page 69, it talks about activities. And I guess for me what stands out as we go through this section here is that we talk about wildlife, fish I know it's a little further down but when I went through it, one thing I don't see is that maybe if the Minister could maybe help me out so I understand with your department in terms of downstream users for fish and from the water coming down from Alberta, they say water is life and if it's life then, you know, we all eat the fish. So...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I guess what I wanted to say is thank you for that response, and I'm probably going to spend the next few days probably to understand the budget that's been put before us here as well. But I want to look forward to work with the Minister of Finance as to how we could look at our budgets for the Tu NedheWiilideh riding, and I want to let her know that we have some big issues there. We want housing's a big issue. Affirmative action's a big issue. Hiring policies is something that's been talked about in our region. So it may be within the next day or two I would like to...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Can the Minister also explain as the grants contribution comes in and it's broken down, normally you would have to do a reporting on those grants or contributions back to the Government of Canada. When that happens and we go ahead and spend the monies here in the Northwest Territories, we also put policies in place when we try and help our people in our communities. So if you could help me understand and explain how you report this back to Canada, and when you get this money from Canada is there policies attached to it when it comes to the Legislative Assembly? Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess during your investigation and trying to determine the type or magnitude of reclamation you guys are looking at, I guess I'm wondering once you guys determine, say at Ptarmigan Mine, if that used to be a gold mine, and I'm assuming that there's probably tailings et cetera and similar to the Giant Mine. I just want at what point do we say that this one here needs to go to an environmental assessment, because to me, when you start reclamation it is a big project, and I just want to put that out there. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you for that. Now that you told me those numbers on that, has your department or to the Minister, has your department gone out to figure out the actual cost to remediate these mine sites in broad numbers so we I don't see any numbers here but I'm asking that question to you. Thank you.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. I just had a question for the Minister.

Since devolution, it's my understanding that the contaminant sites, does the GNWT take responsibility of the contaminated sites, or is it my understanding it's still the responsibility of the Government of Canada?