Debates of June 2, 2004 (day 18)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will go back to my statement that I made earlier with regard to the setup of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office. I am just wondering when can we, as regular Members, get a real firm grip on our full staff complement, government-wide, that deals with pipeline readiness issues on a day-to-day basis in this government? When can we get that type of information? The calculations that I have made is it’s over 20 PYs government-wide. So I am asking the Minister when he might be able to make that information available to us. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 194-15(3): Responding To Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we do have positions across the government that are involved in oil and gas. We know that ECE and the college are engaged in training activities, safety, welding and driver training. I think some 400-plus people went through training programs with ECE and the college last year to be ready for oil and gas. MACA does have employees engaged in capacity building, helping communities build capacity to be ready for oil and gas development. Other types of development are obviously RWED, with its petroleum advisors and business programs has a number of people involved in helping us be industry-development ready. Many of these activities have been ongoing. Obviously oil and gas activity in Norman Wells, Liard, currently in the Cameron Hills is all pre-pipeline.

Now we know we are getting ready for what will amount to a mega-project and that is the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. It’s important for us to be ready for this. That’s why we are staffing up the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office. I have taken this proposal to the joint committee, Cabinet/regular Member committee involved in the pipeline. We’ve had our first meeting and received endorsement for the proposal. I took that back to Cabinet. Obviously we are prepared to come to all of the ordinary Members and have discussion about this going forward.

The point is this committee has been established to better understand how this government is going to cope with this pipeline development; but we aren’t talking about just RWED, we are talking across departments. I know the concerns yesterday about mitigating potential social impacts. This committee will provide strategic advice in that regard and I look forward to very productive discussions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 194-15(3): Responding To Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister, for the response. Why are we not, as a government, coordinating some of these positions the Minister speaks of into this vitally important office? Why aren’t we doing that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Good question!

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 194-15(3): Responding To Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Obviously with the passage of this supp, we will have the first start of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office and I am expecting a lot of strategic advice from the joint committee in this regard as to how this office can be most effective and what kinds of activities it should carry out. Some of these activities are not entirely pipeline related. They have implications for the pipeline and will be involved. For instance, the Department of Finance is looking for an extra position to help us get a handle on statistics and do some baseline studies as they relate to development. We aren’t just talking about the pipeline. We are talking about oil and gas development and mining, so it probably wouldn’t make sense to pull a position like that into the Mackenzie Valley office. That is not to say that they will not be working closely and collaborating very closely with this office. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 194-15(3): Responding To Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I see it, there will still be departments off doing their own thing, unbeknownst to the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office. How is this coordination? Why can’t someone take charge of this vitally important initiative and direct PYs and resources to it in no uncertain terms? Why isn’t this happening and why can’t it happen this way as opposed to coming back to this House looking for $850,000? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 194-15(3): Responding To Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This office will coordinate the activities of this government. The Member is suggesting that that is lacking. I would concur. I would agree that that is lacking and we don’t have the capacity currently to coordinate and manage all the activities related to oil and gas and pipeline development. We are hoping that this office can do that. It’s going to need direction from the joint committee and need direction from Cabinet and ordinary Members. We can’t simply set up this office and hope that it will find its way through the myriad of challenges that will be this pipeline development. The Member has a number of concerns and suggested yesterday that we find the money to fund an office like this from within. I would say, Mr. Speaker, given we are looking to find $20 million in lower priority items in savings as a government this year, then de facto that is what we're doing. We are talking about funding a higher priority item. I would suggest that this is of the highest priority, and we will find money for this office, in this department and in others, in looking at lower priority items. Thank you.