Debates of February 1, 2017 (day 45)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. In my Member's statement, I talked about both remediation and environmental assessment for Kam Lake. Can the Minister tell me if an environmental assessment has been done for Kam Lake? Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. ENR is not aware of any environmental assessment that was conducted on Kam Lake and Grace Lake. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Does the department have any awareness of arsenic levels in the waters of Kam Lake itself? I believe there was testing done on Grace Lake, so this would specifically be about Kam Lake, and any potential arsenic or contaminants in the water.

I am aware that a study that was on mercury and other metals on large-bodied fish was conducted in the Yellowknife region was funded by the Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program and Polar Knowledge Canada. It was initiated in March of 2016. The lakes that they actually sampled were Kam Lake, Grace Lake, Long Lake, and Martin Lake.

Thank you to the Minister; that's clear. Ultimately, who is responsible for the remediation of Kam Lake? The ongoing remediation by Newmont, not Miramar of the Con Mine property, is having an impact on Kam Lake. Who is responsible for the remediation of the lake as it relates to the remediation of the Con Mine project?

We are trying to get the feds to have a look at who would be responsible for the remediation as a lot of this happened before it was turned over to the Northwest Territories. We'll follow up with the federal government to see where they're at with it, and I will share the information with the Member.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister. I appreciate that this may not be, in fact, our responsibility, and that we are trying to find the responsible parties. The remediation process also involved a water license, and I wondered if the department took a position when Newmont applied for that water license for the remediation process. Has the government taken a position, or been involved with the water licensing of Newmont for the Kam Lake remediation? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would have to follow up and see about the water license application with Newmont. I'll commit to the Member that I will follow up, and I will share the information with the Members. Thank you.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.