This is page numbers 1 - 34 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 6th 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 going.

Topics

Further Return To Question 7-15(6): Recognition Of Deline As The Birthplace Of Hockey
Question 7-15(6): Recognition Of Deline As The Birthplace Of Hockey
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 17

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the honourable Premier Joe Handley. Last week, the Premier attended the opening ceremony of the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse and was to meet briefly with the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. One of the priorities that the Premier indicated was the resource revenue and devolution deals. Also, at that time, requested the Premier to ask the Prime Minister about the Tuk-Inuvik highway. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier if he was able to raise that issue of the Tuk-Inuvik highway with the Prime Minister. If so, what did the Prime Minister have to say on whether there will be any funds to construct the Tuk-Inuvik highway in the upcoming budget? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was told to say that I was grovelling for gravel or something like that.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, I did raise the issue of infrastructure, devolution and so on with the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, of course, is not as familiar with the specifics of our needs here. I did mention the Mackenzie Valley highway and the Inuvik-Tuk road and the need for infrastructure in order to be competitive with the rest of the world, whether it is on development or tourism or cost of living.

Mr. Speaker, I also took the opportunity last week when I had a meeting with Minister Prentice in Calgary to raise this one, as did representatives from Tuk, the mayor and the deputy mayor. Like I say, the federal government has said that that particular road is on the short list. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was down at Calgary with Minister Prentice also. I appreciate that the Premier and his staff were able to get us to meet with Mr. Prentice even though it was a short meeting. I would like to find out whether...I know the Premier indicated grovelling for gravel, but that is one of the issues also. The gravel is close to source 177. It is close to the highway to Tuk-Inuvik, so that is part of the whole thing. So I would like to ask the Premier again. I am not too sure if he answered or not, but although the Prime Minister is not familiar with some of the issues that are up here, I guess with Prentice, will there be any indication that the money will be available in the upcoming budget? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we will have to wait until Monday for the answer to that. Mr. Speaker, I was encouraged by the fact that the Prime Minister didn't seem to be negative at all on the discussion on infrastructure and Minister Prentice went as far as to say that this particular road is on the short list. Now, what that means we will see on Monday. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Question 8-15(6): Tuktoyaktuk-inuvik All-weather Highway
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

March 12th, 2007

Page 18

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my colleague from the Sahtu is speaking to the birthplace of hockey. I would like to speak now from the birthplace of natural gas in the Northwest Territories. In my Member's statement, I was speaking to the proponents going to Ottawa and asking for fiscal enhancements and looking for some more money to make this project go ahead. It is an important project in the Northwest Territories. I think they know it. I think they are using that to their advantage. I would like to ask the Premier if I could, when they approach Ottawa to ask for fiscal enhancements, is the Government of the Northwest Territories consulted or given a heads up that these questions are being asked? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have made it known that we expect to be part of the discussions. We have asked to be consulted on any discussions that will be taking place. Mr. Speaker, I can't say whether there have been discussions without our participation. I don't know all the phone calls and informal discussions and so on that may have taken place, but we have made it clear that we expect to be there as well because, while it may not affect us today, it may affect us in a big way in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier said that we expect to be consulted and he wasn't sure if there was talk going on right now. Who would that talk be between, bureaucrat to bureaucrat? I think the talks should be political leader to political leader. So I would like to ask the Premier. Who are the discussions between? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that there are some technical discussions going on and our people are involved in those discussions. But I know there are also conversations that have happened between Ministers and the president of Imperial, and the president of Imperial Canada, and possibly higher up the chain in Exxon and so on in the federal government. I don't know what happens in phone calls or at receptions and other venues where some of this business takes place. But we have asked to be involved. We've asked to be updated, to be included in any discussions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 18

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Premier for that. A little while ago this government gave a letter of comfort to the proponents and I'd just like to ask the Premier, has this government been approached by the

proponents again for any further enhancements? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 19

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 19

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now that the costs are in, now that we've got Imperial's numbers, then we should be able to get on with these discussions in earnest. I don't believe that there's ever been a three-way discussion where all of us are in a room at the same time. But I think that has to start to happen now in order that we know and can have our input into any kind of requests that Imperial may be making or any response from the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 19

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 19

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my opening remarks, this is an important project for the Northwest Territories. I feel that the proponents know it and they are using it and will get almost anything they ask for for this project to go ahead, especially when Ottawa is going to get a nice cut of the royalties anyway. I'd like to ask the Premier if he's spoken to the aboriginal leaders on this recent announcement and what their feeling was on it. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 19

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 19

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, yes, we had a conference call yesterday with some of the leaders; not all the aboriginal leaders, but certainly the president of the Inuvialuit and the president or chairman of the Aboriginal Pipeline Group, president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council. We had discussions yesterday. We agreed that we don't want to overreact to this. We know those numbers are Imperial's numbers. We haven't seen the detail of how exactly they've arrived at them. That we want to look at it, make sure that what we're asking for and what they are asking for and what we expect is that this project will be treated fairly, it will be treated with the same kind of consideration that is given to SunCore or to any other major mega project in Canada. No less, no more, but it should be treated the same way. This one is too important for us in the Northwest Territories to take a stand that just doesn't stand up to the way the federal government or governments generally have been treating other mega projects. So, Mr. Speaker, what we're asking for is to be treated the same way as other projects and this one, which I agree is critically important to the Mackenzie Valley and to the Delta, that it goes forward on an economic basis, but on a fair basis in terms of how other projects are treated in Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Question 9-15(6): Federal Subsidies For The Mackenzie Gas Project
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 19

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.