Debates of May 19, 2011 (day 11)

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I have questions for the Minister of Environment on Pine Point and the clean-up of that site. I’d like to ask the Minister who is responsible for the clean-up of Pine Point Mines. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

The federal government, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Pine Point is clearly within the Northwest Territories. I’d like to know why that is the case. Why is the federal government responsible for cleaning up Pine Point?

Thank you. Because at this point they are the landlords, it’s Crown land. Should the day come with devolution, that site and its remediation would be dealt with through the devolution process, but at this point they are the landowner and responsible. Thank you.

Thank you. My understanding from the people in Fort Resolution is that the reason that Pine Point is not cleaned up is because Cominco continues to hold a lease in Pine Point. However, that mine has been shut down for 25 years. It only ran for 25 years. So my question is: what role does the territorial government have? The territorial government must have some role, regardless of devolution. Thank you.

Thank you. We played a major role as a government back when the town was in existence. As they dismantled the town and shut down the mine site and people were relocated or left, we played a role in that capacity. The actual clean-up of the site, with the huge pits and the tailings ponds and all the other attendant problems were the responsibility of the federal government. We had a role where we made sure and encouraged them to complete it and conclude it. I flew over there a few years ago and it is still a very visible work in progress, with the pits wide open and work still being done in the tailings ponds. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pine Point used to be, at one time, a great trapping area for many trappers of Fort Resolution. The site has to be remediated. It’s been left, like I said, 25 years. I want to know if this government can do anything now with the discussions on devolution. Can this government do anything at all to clean Pine Point up? Thank you.

Thank you. In the agreement-in-principle for devolution there’s a specific clause in part of the agreement that deals with the whole area of contaminated sites, ones that are currently in existence, ones that may come into existence. There’s been significant work on inventory. There’s hundreds and hundreds of contaminated sites that have to be cleaned up. Many, or most, are on Crown land, some on territorial land, which we are responsible for. Pine Point is on that list, and once again, it’s a list that far exceeds the resources available to remediate all of the sites. So it will be on the list to be dealt with, hopefully, and identified through this process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.