Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to follow up my Member’s statement with questions for the Minister of ITI.
If it was not apparent to the Minister before today that there is a significant public concern surrounding fracking in the NWT, it should be clear now, and the public wants input on the question of whether to fracture or not, and that the drafting of fracking regulations is premature. It puts the cart before the horse.
Will the Minister now declare a moratorium on horizontal hydraulic fracturing in the Northwest Territories until a comprehensive public review of the practice is conducted, letting the people of the NWT become knowledgeable about this controversial practice and indicate their acceptance of the risks involved, or not ? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned last week, we are going to take more time with the process that we have underway.
Again, every application is scrutinized by arm’s-length regulatory boards that hear directly from the public and make decisions and set requirements for every single project based on the specifics of each proposal, recognized best practices, current science and public views. Ruling out one particular technique is like telling a doctor they can only ever use general anesthetic for a procedure, when local anesthetic or even an aspirin might be more appropriate. It is more responsible to use the best approach for each job and make sure we, as a government, have created the best rules to manage that, and that is what we are trying to do here. Thank you.
I take it that’s a no to the moratorium. We all know that the people called for a halt to economic analysis of the last application, yet the government approved it, despite having the power to call for that environmental review.
Of more than 400 peer reviewed publications on the impacts of shale gas development, 75 percent of which we published in 2013, 96 percent indicate adverse health outcomes, 92 percent indicate elevated air pollution and 73 percent warn of water pollution because of fracking. Tight oil fracking starts after that, so the research is behind, but it’s coming out completely in parallel with this. Yet the Minister continues to assert that despite evidence worldwide to the contrary, we in the NWT will be able to beat the odds and do it safely.
On what basis does the Minister feel that he alone is right and the scientists of the world are wrong?
Again, Northerners have the ability to provide input into the assessment of every application at many stages of the process that we have in place here in the NWT, through intervening in the process, through submitting comments on the public record, to making comments at public hearings.
I have every confidence in our NWT regulatory system. Thank you.
I would just remind the Minister that the NWT has been blanketed with motions and resolutions from every Aboriginal government across the Nahendeh part of the NWT, requesting just that, a moratorium, a ban, or a comprehensive review.
As I was saying, the science is clear. The oil under the ground in the NWT must stay there, according to science, if human civilization is to continue as we know it. Renewable energy options are environmentally and economically attractive, virtually limitless and promise provision of more clean and affordable energy than we need.
Will the Minister commit to removing perverse subsidies and misguided support to fossil fuel extraction and shift them to building renewable energy systems that serve people, communities and our living earth? Mahsi.
I respect the Member and I respect his point of view, but when we got together after the 17th Legislative Assembly was elected in 2011, we came together, we formed a vision, we came up with our goals, and I’ll list them off here: a strong independent North built on partnerships; an environment that will sustain present and future generations; healthy, educated people free from poverty; a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and choices; sustainable, vibrant communities; and effective and efficient government.
Mr. Speaker, we have a region of the Northwest Territories that has high unemployment levels, people looking for work, looking for opportunities. We need to balance protecting the environment and creating the right economic conditions where people can have jobs, we can graduate children from high school who will have a future and will have a job. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also support our goals and vision totally. We are now talking about the interpretation of those. I would note that clearly, for a million dollars of investment, the jobs are there for renewable energy far and beyond, half an order of magnitude beyond oil and gas.
We are fortunate in having alternatives to fossil fuel extraction and its form of tremendous renewable energy options in every community. The technology is here now and getting better by the day. The United States is planning a complete switch to renewable energy in the next 30 years.
My question: What aggressive policies is the Minister pursuing for recommendation to the 18th Assembly for this required shift from destructive energy policies to ones that give us hopefulness for the future? This is not an optional thing, unless the Minister knows something I don’t. I am listening to the scientists. Mahsi.
We are doing both. That work is underway for the transition to the 18th Legislative Assembly. But our priorities, when we talk about our goals, the priorities that stem from those goals are increasing employment opportunities where they are needed most. In a region like the Sahtu, that is where we need the economic opportunities the most. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Colleagues, before we go on today, I would like to draw your attention to the gallery, to His Worship Mayor of Niagara Falls, Mr. Jim Diodati and his daughter, Olivia, who is visiting us here today from Niagara Falls. Welcome to the House.
Also, Norman’s CA, who is assisting him, Ms. Natasha Pryznyk.
Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
