Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of ENR. I want to ask the Minister with regard to the recent news about Enbridge contaminated soil along the Mackenzie pipeline. Is the Minister aware about the incident and whether there’s further actions to check the integrity of the pipeline right from Norman Wells to the border of the Northwest Territories, if there are starting to be spots along the pipeline with contaminated soil. What is the Minister doing to ensure the whole line is being checked thoroughly?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As with other similar instances, we are having our staff work with federal folks that are responsible and we’re encouraging, of course, Enbridge to do a thorough review and all the repairs necessary and not just wait for things to happen. Thank you.
Is the Minister also checking on the land that is affected around the pipeline route to ensure the integrity of the environment is in place and Enbridge Pipelines is going to assure the people of the Northwest Territories that there are no more cracks and leaks along this 30-year-old pipeline?
We are working with all the appropriate authorities to ensure that those issues, as outlined by the Member, are being addressed. Thank you.
This recent discovery of contaminated soil on the Enbridge pipeline, I am not sure if it was done accidentally or because of the work that Enbridge is doing. Can the Minister inform me and the people along the route of this pipeline that the integrity of this pipeline is safe and that Enbridge will do all it can to assure the people that there isn’t going to be any more sudden surprises of contaminated soil or possible leaks in the line?
Mr. Speaker, Enbridge is a good corporate citizen. They’ve had their challenges with the aging pipeline. They are taking the steps necessary to protect the interest of Northerners and protect the pipeline route. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Enbridge Pipelines Corporation is up for debate on the views of different people who deal with Enbridge. With regard to the contaminated soil that was found on the pipeline route, will the Enbridge Corporation come to this government to assure our people, through some type of meeting, that the line is safe and the integrity is there with the pipeline?
I would like to thank the Member for the questions. This type of situation triggers a very comprehensive response. The Member is well aware of some of the other challenges we’ve had with leaks, not only in the Northwest Territories but just south of the border.
I believe that the regulatory process that is in place right now is adequate enough. We know, through history, that Enbridge wants to make sure that things run well, as well. It’s bad for the corporate image, it’s bad for the environment, it’s bad in every sense of the word when we have circumstances that have happened, as the Member has been outlining. We have to be careful. We have to follow due process. We have to bring in the involved regulatory bodies. We have people on the ground as well. We’re going to work with community people and we want to make sure we identify where the contaminated soil came from, how it came to be there, was it an accident and what kind of circumstances led to that. We’re going to do all the steps in a careful, measured way to work with Enbridge, to work with Norman Wells and the folks along the pipeline route to ensure that the integrity of the pipeline is secure, and that in the days going forward that we’re able to speak with considerable comfort and assurance. I don’t need to reassure the Members of this House, but to make sure that we can have this and say the same things to the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 9, written questions.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek your consent to return to recognition of visitors in the gallery, item 6 on the Order Paper. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
