Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my statement earlier today I talked about how people in the NWT are concerned about fracking, and my questions today are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Many people are concerned and for good reasons. I would like to know: Has the Minister heard these concerns? Does he understand that people are concerned or that he least acknowledge that they might be concerned?
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I am aware that there are a wide range of views about hydraulic fracturing. I’ve been a recipient of some correspondence through the Council for Canadians, for example, expressing their concern. I do read the newspapers, listen to the news, and talk to people, and yes, I have heard some of those concerns and I believe I do understand them.
Thanks to the Minister for that understanding. The petition I’ll be tabling later today, of course, signatures from at least 24 communities including all Sahtu communities and so on. The MVRMA legislation says that any agency of the territorial government can refer a proposed project to a full environmental assessment. We have literally hundreds of agencies, public health agencies, environmental protection agencies and so on, yet none of them referred the previous fracking application for environmental assessment.
Did our government issue a directive or instructions telling all agencies not to issue a referral or did each agency make that decision on their own?
My understanding in regard to the concerns out of the Sahtu about water is the concern is specifically about the water being withdrawn from fish lakes as opposed to being withdrawn from the Mackenzie. I do believe that issue is being looked at and, hopefully, will be addressed.
In regard to was there a directive from government, no, there wasn’t in regard to instructing any agency or part of government to atomically reject or not require environmental assessments of fracking.
I’m glad the Minister understands at least one of the eight major concerns that I read out in my earlier speaking today.
As we all know, devolution will be taking effect as of April 1st. After that date, will any agencies of the GNWT be permitted to make an independent decision on a proposed project or will all decisions be made by the Executive?
The intent is to have a made-in-the-North regulatory regime that brings together the regulatory authorities, both the oil and gas through water and minerals, lands, with ITI, ENR and the Lands department. We intend to be very thorough, very rigorous, and we want to coordinate our efforts. There is going to be responsibilities that require the various regulatory agencies and bodies to respond as regulators. There are going to be some requirements for technical responses. We are going to look very thoroughly at all of those project applications that come in and we will, in fact, provide that rigour and timeliness that we have committed to.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll look forward to that on time. The MVRMA gives criteria for determining when a project should be referred for an environmental assessment. I would assume that we use the criteria listed in the legislation, and I’d be happy to give the Minister a reference to that, clause 125, section 1.
I would assume that we use the criteria listed in the legislation, but to be sure, would the Minister commit to making public the criteria this government and its agencies use when deciding whether to refer a project to environmental assessment even if it’s following the legislation?
Yes, we will provide that information to the House.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Menicoche.
