Debates of February 2, 2006 (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last weekend we had a Sahtu/Tlicho/Dehcho economic conference in Tulita. Mr. Handley and Mr. Bell, along with MLA Jackson attended. I wanted to ask the Minister of ITI, Mr. Brendan Bell, the burning question in terms of after this conference in terms of coordinating the communities and the regions in terms of preparing for the impacts, the social issues that will be forthcoming should the pipeline come in this present time frame. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 327-15(4): Sahtu Socio-Economic Conference

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This consultation is part of a broader consultation we’ve been conducting up and down the valley on socio-economic impacts, understanding concerns of people in the community and certainly trying to better understand their aspirations in terms of what they see this pipeline and project more broadly meaning for them. I think it was a very good conference. I want to applaud the Member for setting out to organize this almost by himself initially. He managed to get funding from DIAND, funding from our government. We were happy to participate, but he took the step, Mr. Speaker, and went beyond just a community workshop or even a regional workshop, as he’s indicated. He invited those constituents from the Dehcho as well, a group, and also, importantly, a group from the Tlicho region, and MLA Jackson Lafferty did attend and was able to speak to their experience for socio-economic impacts stemming from development. Obviously they have a couple of diamond mines in their backyard and a couple more to come. I think that was very valuable and the shared experience and discussion around best practices was useful. I think that should be a boiler plate for future conferences.

Now, as we go forward, we know that the socio-economic impact fund, the SIF funds, the $500 million from the federal government, will hopefully roll out and we will need regional planning groups to talk about regional priorities. The work from this conference will be fed into that and will help lay out the regional priorities and will help that group make some funding decisions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 327-15(4): Sahtu Socio-Economic Conference

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the Government of the Northwest Territories, specifically the honourable Member, Mr. Bell, in terms of his support to fund this, as well as the Department of Indian Affairs. I want to ask again, would the Minister, in terms of following up with the socio-economic conference, how are the departments going to be getting together? There needs to be some quick communication in putting this action plan together for the socio-economic impacts. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 327-15(4): Sahtu Socio-Economic Conference

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do have to sit down with Indian and Northern Development and talk about outcomes from this conference, but I know that the Minister of Health also had some follow-up work that he had initiated coming from other conferences, so this will feed into that. We will take that input and that consultation and ensure that we discuss that across departments and with the federal government, which is obviously important, as they sit down with the $500 million fund to talk about priorities. So we will collate that information. We will make sure there is a discussion of regional priorities and we will move forward from there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya. Oral questions. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Replies to opening address. Replies to the budget address. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Motions. First reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to proceed with first reading of Bill 18, Appropriation Act, 2006-2007.