Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow up on my colleague’s comments and questions on fracking yesterday with some questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. I would like to recognize the controversial aspects and potentially severe impacts of fracking. We need to take proactive steps to become informed ourselves and educate our citizens towards making the right decisions. First, of course, we need the facts. Will the Minister commit to getting departmental research underway on the issues involving fracking and supplying information to committees for their review? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That work is currently underway. I would suspect early in the new year that will in fact take place. Thank you.
This Legislature needs to be informed, but our citizens also need to be prepared to participate effectively in any reviews and assessments. We need that information early on so citizens can digest and debate to be ready for public reviews. Will the Minister commit to getting information materials out to our public, perhaps in partnership with non-government organizations, presenting the variety of views that exist out there so that good debate and wise decisions can be made? Thank you.
The Department of ITI will be working in concert with my colleague Minister Miltenberger at ENR to develop that plan as we move forward, get the information to committee and hand it out to the public as well. The Member can look forward to us working collaboratively with Members and committee on moving this effort forward so that people are better educated about what fracking is. Thank you.
Thank you. I appreciate the Minister’s commitment there. I want to note that Paramount is already using fracking in the Northwest Territories, apparently without any requirement for environmental review of this controversial technology. Further, the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board is not commenting on the use of fracking and says it falls under the jurisdiction of the National Energy Board. The National Energy Board says they can’t comment because of confidentiality agreements.
What’s going on here, Mr. Minister? Can the Minister inform the Assembly whether fracking is currently underway in the Northwest Territories, and if not, will he commit to getting back to us with this accurate information? Thank you.
Certainly we will take the Member’s concerns seriously. Right now the regulatory process is not in the hands of the Government of the Northwest Territories; it rests with another body. After we conclude negotiations on devolution, responsibility for managing our lands, waters and resources will rest with the Government of the Northwest Territories, at which time we can take every step to ensure that we know what is happening there. I will certainly get back to the Member as to the current disposition of the episode that he is concerned with in Cameron Hills. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
I do point out that this government spends tens of millions of dollars on areas that we have no mandate in. In terms of exploiting resources, I’m hoping we would do the same for protecting our citizens.
So my final question to the Minister is: How is it that fracking can happen in the NWT without going through the environmental assessment process? I think that’s a valid question for a government to be asking on behalf of its citizens. Thank you.
Again, I will work with my colleague Minister Miltenberger and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to get a response to Mr. Bromley’s question. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
