Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a very good question. I think our strategy and approach has been, through the devolution negotiations, to make sure that the federal government owns up to their responsibility for the cleanup of past contaminated sites. I think we have identified something in the neighbourhood of 700 sites in the Northwest Territories that are not our responsibility. They are a federal responsibility to clean up. They have identified monies recently -- $3.5 billion -- to start to move forward on some of this cleanup. We want to make sure that there aren't sites out there that we don't know about. I think, in future, the difference is going to be that we will have control over lands and resources. This government and aboriginal governments can make sure that when development takes place, these contingencies are put into place prior to the development going ahead so that we ensure that the cleanup does, in fact, happen. In regard to the pre-existing legacy of contaminated sites, we will continue to force the federal government to recognize their responsibility and make the commitment to clean them up through the devolution negotiations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Brendan Bell on Question 572-15(3): Cleanup Of Contaminated Sites
In the Legislative Assembly on March 9th, 2005. See this statement in context.
Further Return To Question 572-15(3): Cleanup Of Contaminated Sites
Question 572-15(3): Cleanup Of Contaminated Sites
Item 6: Oral Questions
March 8th, 2005
Page 1905
See context to find out what was said next.