This is page numbers 533 - 559 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was housing.

Topics

Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Item 5: Oral Questions

March 3rd, 1994

Page 542

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you. My question has to do with the regulations to govern the acceptable levels of sulphur dioxide emissions by NWT companies. My question is, does the GNWT have the authority to press charges against a company which exceeds the acceptable levels? Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 542

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, as I understand it, we do not have jurisdiction in the area of air quality. We are trying to come up with some guidelines in consultation with the public and certain companies, to try to get commitments that would have people accept certain guidelines under which to operate with regard to what is acceptable or unacceptable levels of emission. There is no legislation in place right now that we can exercise jurisdiction under. We don't have any legislation, as I understand it. Thank you.

Return To Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 542

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Mr. Antoine.

Supplementary To Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 542

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no regulation to govern the levels of sulphur dioxide emissions or any other type of emissions in the Northwest Territories, from the Minister's answer to my question. Is the department developing regulations to try to deal with this problem? I have a concern about it because we have some companies that are emitting quite a substantial amount of sulphur dioxide. If this diamond mine goes ahead, it would also be emitting a lot of sulphur dioxide. Is there going to be a regulation in place soon? And, if so, when? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 543

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 543

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Renewable Resources has only taken some preliminary steps, as I said earlier, to initiate steps to look at quality controls for air quality. But we do need to do some work with the federal government with regard to a cooperative approach to monitor and possibly enforce certain guidelines and regulations. At this time, I would say to the Member that we are looking at it, but there is nothing specific to report except that it is a concern and we are trying to initiate some work jointly with the federal government. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Question 274-12(5): GNWT's Legal Authority Re Air Quality
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you. Mr. Zoe.

Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Renewable Resources. With increased activity in the mining industry, Mr. Speaker, there are many things which disturb our natural environment. There are a lot of people out there, particularly in the North Slave area, working the land, using helicopters, planes, setting up camps and there are even temporary roads put in so they can move equipment and supplies. Mr. Speaker, I would like to know what the Minister's department has done to monitor the potential impact of this activity on the wildlife in this area, particularly with the caribou and their migration patterns. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 543

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, the department is preparing some documents that would be advising this government about the potential impact on wildlife as a result of the increased activity in these areas. I don't have the specific information available at this time but I know that before I took responsibility of the department, the previous Minister may have put forward questions to the department with regard to that. When I came on in December, it was also one of the questions I asked and they were preparing some information that would give us an idea about how to raise these concerns about the wildlife habitat, the migratory routes and other issues of concern due to this level of activity in the wildlife area. Thank you.

Return To Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 543

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Mr. Zoe.

Supplementary To Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that the honourable Member has informed me that the department is going to do something, but my question was a little bit more specific, Mr. Speaker. I asked what the department was doing in monitoring where all this activity is happening and he hasn't answered my question. I would like to know the specifics. What is the department doing to monitor the wildlife in the area where this activity is happening? I'm particularly interested in the caribou and their migration patterns. What is the department doing in this area? That was my question. He didn't answer my previous question, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask him again what the department is doing with regard to monitoring. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, that's the question I thought I was answering. I had asked the same question to the department in December. There has been extensive exploration and staking in this area for the last two years. In fact, most of the land in the North Slave has been staked and there are stakers and companies setting up base camps in a number of areas.

The concern has been put to the department about exactly what steps are being taken to monitor this activity so that they can come up with a framework that would give myself, as the Minister, an idea of what we're going to do to ensure they're not having a negative impact on the wildlife and to be proactive. We have to go out to talk to these developers and stakers and advise them on how they should be conducting their work to minimize any potential impact. As I said, that question has been put to the department.

I know that the renewable resource officers, field officers, researchers and biologists spend a great deal of their time monitoring and watching activities, not only of developers but of local people, so I have no doubt that they are monitoring. That is part of their job. As far as giving the Member specific information about what is being done on a day-to-day basis and what specific measures are being taken, I don't have that information with me but, as I've said, I've asked for it as well. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Second supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Supplementary To Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister, does the department have baseline information on water quality, fish levels and marine mammals in the areas of activity? I would like know this information, not only in the North Slave area, but in other areas such as the Izok Lake area. I think it's critical for the department to have this baseline information. Does the department have that? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, the department actively seeks out information, both on a scientific basis and also on a traditional basis, in order to establish what would be called a management plan, for fish, caribou, muskox, mountain sheep, grizzly bears and all the other species we harvest or

that are available for sport hunting. We do some scientific counts by aerial survey. Others are done in other ways, using traditional knowledge of hunters and aboriginal people.

The baseline data, as the Member calls it, is available. It's the basis on which we do our planning. The co-management plans that we develop with the aboriginal people and the harvesters are based on that. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Question 275-12(5): Monitor Potential Impact Of Diamond Mining On Wildlife
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, very much, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Ballantyne.

Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum resources. It is a follow-up to a question asked by Mr. Dent. It has been a number of years now since our government reached an agreement in principle for an oil and gas accord with the former Prime Minister of Canada. In this House, the present Prime Minister has committed to devolving government programs to the north at a pace that we decide. It is obvious that the prospects for major oil and gas development aren't very good in the immediate future so this is probably a very good time to negotiate an accord.

My question to the Minister is, is the Minister committed to overcoming the hurdles that have prevented us from finalizing the accord and to finalize an oil and gas agreement with Ottawa in this year?

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Ballantyne. Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 276-12(5): Minister's Commitment To Finalize Oil And Gas Accord
Question 276-12(5): Minister's Commitment To Finalize Oil And Gas Accord
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 544

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I'm committed to finding a way around some of the obstacles that were in place that unfortunately resulted in failure to reach an oil and gas accord in July 1992. The framework for the accord is there and it is my understanding that there were about two or three obstacles in place. I've instructed the department to move quickly to find the appropriate compromise with respect to these two or three obstacles. Given that we can get around those, and we have the political support of people in the Northwest Territories, I'm told that there is enthusiasm at the federal level and there's certainly enthusiasm at this level to reach an oil and gas mineral accord. Thank you.

Return To Question 276-12(5): Minister's Commitment To Finalize Oil And Gas Accord
Question 276-12(5): Minister's Commitment To Finalize Oil And Gas Accord
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Supplementary To Question 276-12(5): Minister's Commitment To Finalize Oil And Gas Accord
Question 276-12(5): Minister's Commitment To Finalize Oil And Gas Accord
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

I'm very happy to hear that response because I think everybody here must recognize that, like other opportunities, if we don't grab them when they're available we could lose them forever. Just again for the public record, I will ask the Minister if he is prepared to make the necessary adjustments to get around the obstacles that have prevented us from finalizing this accord in the past.