Debates of January 21, 2004 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is a follow-up to my statement. It's for the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell, and it's about the situation regarding the plans for the abandonment and reclamation of the Miramar Con Mine. Mr. Bell, along with myself and some other MLAs, as long ago as last summer, had written to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board and asked for more public access to a review process for how the company was going to shut down this property. I haven't heard anything from the board since then, and I would like to stress again that the issue is access to the review plans for shutting down the mine. My question, Mr. Speaker, is what is the GNWT's stand on improving public access to the review of Miramar's abandonment and reclamation plan at Con Mine? Thank you.

Minister of RWED, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 20-15(2): Abandonment And Restoration Of Miramar Con Mine

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I should say that there are ongoing meetings. The working group continues to review the abandonment and restoration plan that was submitted by Miramar Con Mine, submitted on the basis of their existing federal water licence. We are a part of that working group. I think we have two seats at the table. There are folks from our environmental protection service at the table. They're looking at the obvious things that you'd suspect, they're looking at the demolition of service structure, historic tailings, contaminated soils, site monitoring, water management, and I believe they continue to meet at least once a month. The Member is right, that as regular Members we were concerned about what we perceived as lack of public process. There has always been the ability for the working group, under the terms of reference that were established, to call for any members of the public or interested citizens to participate in the process. That avenue has been there. It's my understanding now that the Water Board has scheduled a public meeting, I believe it's the end of April. They want to hear the concerns that the public may have. So I'm encouraged to see that, and I think that that will go a long way in assuring residents of the Northwest Territories that they will be able to have their say in how this A and R plan rolls out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 20-15(2): Abandonment And Restoration Of Miramar Con Mine

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm encouraged to hear that the board is taking some steps to open the process up. I guess I would hold any further comment until I get some more detail. A public meeting, if it is as the Minister has said, I think falls far short of what I would call adequate public access. I'd like to ask the Minister, for the representatives that we do have in this process -- and it is a closed door process, from my understanding of it -- is there any requirement for those representatives to report back to the Minister, and then consequently to the public? Do we have any access to those people's reports? Thank you.

Minister of RWED, Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 20-15(2): Abandonment And Restoration Of Miramar Con Mine

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First I would say that I'm interested myself in more detail as to what the public meetings will comprise at the end of April, and I'll get that information and commit to provide that to all Members. I think it's important that we understand exactly what the process is. The Member is certainly aware that there was an application made by the city for an environmental assessment. It was made to the Impact Review Board, not the Water Board. That decision just came down in January from the Impact Review Board, and they indicated there was no mechanism for a full environmental assessment because they are operating under the terms of the existing licence. I will endeavour to determine how information is coming back to the department. I do know that at this point the department seems satisfied that work is progressing in the manner and in the order that it should. So I will determine what the reporting is like internally and get back to the Member on what additional detail I can provide. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary.

Supplementary To Question 20-15(2): Abandonment And Restoration Of Miramar Con Mine

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the issue here is that while the Minister may be satisfied that our people are satisfied that everything is being done, the public doesn't know. We don't have access to this kind of information. To my understanding, the only information that has been released is a rather sketchy plan that was put out last spring of what the company plans to do; there is really not a lot of detail attached to it. So the public needs access to be satisfied that the plan is indeed a good one. That's what we're looking for, reassurance. Will the Minister undertake some proactive steps to urge the board to engage in as open a process as possible? Thank you.

Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 20-15(2): Abandonment And Restoration Of Miramar Con Mine

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To be sure, it is the board's process, we're not adverse to public involvement. In fact, I think we'd be happy to see as much involvement as is possible. I think the kinds of information the citizens need to and should be able to see will be made available at the public meeting. At least that is my hope through the public process in that regard, but I will find out the scope of the public meetings to happen at the end of April. I just now learned that they have been scheduled for April 28th and 29th. I will find out what kind of process will be undertaken at that time and what kinds of information will be made available to the public. The Member has hit on it and this is the board’s process and we will provide input in that regard and are sitting at the table, but this federal board will make decisions about what type of information they are going to release. I will find out what we have access to. Thank you.