Mr. Chairman, just for clarification, where did you say that diamond, what page?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Could I ask the Chairman to slow down a little bit, please. We cannot even turn the pages fast enough to keep up here.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in the Minister's opening statement under environmental protection services, he had indicated that they are going to try to develop consistent practices and standards for environmental protection to improve the northern regulatory system and develop strategies for emissions, greenhouse gases, that type of thing. I seem to recall that a few years ago there was talk of an act to control the sulphur emissions in the Northwest Territories and I believe that is what is coming out of Giant Mine which I have been breathing for the last 48 years so I am very interested to know what has happened to that act. How come it has not been passed and enforced? Thank you.

There is an Environmental Protection Act that has been in force for a number of years. We have regulations in some areas, not in other areas. In the case of sulphur dioxide, we have been essentially following the national standards. We have equipment to monitor the output from the stack at Giant Mine which is the only one that gives off the sulphur dioxide. While there are individual days or periods within some days infrequently, very infrequently, where it exceeds the national standard, generally what they are putting out is within the national standards. We have had consultation with Royal Oak when they were in operation over a couple of years and we could have, even based on the few days, forced them to

increase the height of the stack which would have been the most economical way. Other than that they would have had to put in a $50 million autoclave. We did not enforce it because of the infrequency in which they exceeded the national standard and also given the gold prices, we did not feel it was a fair requirement to force on them in those circumstances.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This Environmental Protection Act, or whatever it was, that the deputy minister was referring to. Is that the new act that was being discussed a couple of years ago because I do not remember passing it. Is that the same act that he is talking about that was supposed to put some controls on sulphur emissions?

Mr. Chairman, no, I do not believe it is the one the Member is referring to. The GNWT Environmental Protection Act has been in place for at least six years or so. The act I believe the Member is referring to is probably the Canadian Environmental Protection Act which was under review and is now in force and it has been in force for over a year now.