Debates of May 30, 2024 (day 19)

Date
May
30
2024
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
19
Speaker
Members Present
Hon. Caitlin Cleveland, Mr. Edjericon, Mr. Hawkins, Hon. Lucy Kuptana, Hon. Jay Macdonald, Hon. Vince McKay, Mr. McNeely, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Morse, Mr. Nerysoo, Ms. Reid, Mr. Rodgers, Hon. Lesa Semmler, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Mr. Thompson, Mrs. Weyallon Armstrong, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Mrs. Yakeleya
Topics
Statements

Question 217-20(1): Amendments to Waters Regulations

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke to a letter sent by the land and water boards to the Ministers of ECE and the federal minister. Mr. Speaker, is the Minister open to coming to the table to meet with the boards as they have requested? Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. First, I'd like to thank the land and water boards for their recommendations. The amendments recommended by the land and water boards are being carefully considered and looked at as this is certainly an area of great interest across the territory, and with many of the Indigenous governments as well as the Members within this House and Cabinet and the residents. At this time, we're working through reviewing those recommendations and will consider as we move forward the options around meeting with the board itself. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I didn't hear an explicit commitment to sit down with the boards. I would encourage the Minister that simply sitting down and having a discussion is all I'm asking for at this point.

Mr. Speaker, does the Minister have a response to the board's letter to share with the House today recognizing the letter did just come in, but I just wanted to ask the question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. No, as the Member indicated the letter just recently arrived. I have had the opportunity to read through the list of recommendations from the land and water board. And as I said earlier, you know, this is a conversation that, certainly through the Members of Cabinet, is something that is really an interdepartmental area that -- with a lot of concern, and I think it's on the hot topics list, if you will, with Cabinet and certainly with the Intergovernmental Council and the Indigenous governments. So we will continue to evaluate the recommendations and look forward to have a response in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm certainly happy to hear that from the Minister. Thank you to the Minister for the answer. I am happy to hear that the Minister and Cabinet are carefully considering the recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, is the Minister able to give us a timeline for when we can expect a response to the recommendations brought forward?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated, this is a multifaceted conversation that the Department of Environment and Climate Change is certainly committed to working with our colleagues within this House as well as ensuring that we're having the appropriate conversations with the Intergovernmental Council on this issue. And, you know, I cannot put a firm timeline on this. As I indicated, it is certainly high on our agenda of issues that we want to deal with in a timely manner, so I will commit to the House that it is a high priority and we hope to bring it back to the table as quickly as we can. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister of ECC. Final supplementary.

Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.