Shane Thompson

Yes. So I'd just like to clarify why we're not paused so we can get there. We have to find a lawyer that's an expert in this area. That's the challenge is to find somebody to do that right now. So if we find somebody and we're able to do, then we can get it going. But I'm being very realistic and response with this. Thank you.

Thank you. So it will be in the 20th Assembly. We've already started doing the work. We've gone through legal. So we've done that work. Once we've done that, we're going to take that information to the MTAs, and then we will also be sharing that information with the Indigenous governments. So we are starting the work now, and by the time the 20th Assembly rolls in, we will have a good foundation moving forward. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I do.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for the question. The NWT continues and does participate in Alberta public environmental assessments and regulatory processes. The transboundary agreement with Alberta provides a number of ways to address downstream concerns. The agreement commits Alberta to meet water quality, water quantity, and biological objectives at the border. The agreement commits Alberta to share information in a timely way and notify the GNWT prior to development of the activity. Should questions of dispute arise, the agreement contains a dispute resolution process...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, we're in the process of the Alberta government and Canada government is working to develop an arrangement where the bilateral they'll have the engagement. We've reached out to both the federal government and the Alberta government and said we need to be engaged; we need to be part of this process. I've sent a letter to Minister Savage and Minister Guilbeault, and I just recently sent another one there, again stressing the importance of us to be part of anything that's moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, several meetings have been taking place with the Government of Alberta and senior representatives at Imperial Oil to receive the most updated information about the monitoring. I have also met with Minister Savage, the Alberta minister of environment and protected areas on this issue.

We have been informed that the water quality results have been stable and show no impact to downstream waterways or drinking water. Environment and Climate Change Canada's Fisheries Act direction was issued to prevent potential impact to fish not because impacts were detected...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we do have the afterschool physical activity program that the Member talks about. That there goes to the schools and communities depending on who organizes the afterschool programs. What the Member is talking about is regional events, and that was done and organized by the Beaufort Delta sport recreation Beaufort Delta Sahtu Recreation Association. Unfortunately, that organization defaulted. It's now talking to some of the leaders in the communities, especially the rec coordinators are trying to reactivate that, and that there does help develop the swim...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we give about $1.561 million to TSOs to provide opportunities for youth and that. For the BDSRA, I believe it was $250,000 we talked about it in the last sitting here. But I'll have to get back to the Member for the confirmation of that number. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in May 2022 our government announced the merger of the Departments of Lands and Environment and Natural Resources. Postdevolution, the merger is an important step to evolve the resource management, regulatory, and security responsibilities that are linked but currently split between the two departments.

Mr. Speaker, we have been hard at work since May 2022. Leadership in both departments have worked with staff to develop the merger organization structure for the new department. In midNovember 2022, the highlevel organization design was approved; and, on...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so rightsbased cabins, we're working on that. We're trying to put that to the side. We're trying to be able to identify some of the things. Some of the work that's being done is exactly what the Member is asking for. So we're working on this, trying to get this resolved. We're working with Indigenous governments to come up with a definition with what's a rightsbased cabin. Not the GNWT, with the Indigenous governments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.