Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger.

Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr.

Speaker, can the Minister also inform me in the House as to this operator in the Mackenzie

Mountains...Has this operator also had some type of working arrangements in the Sahtu and also in the Gwich’in Settlement Area?

Thank you,

Mr. Speaker. I’ll add that to the list of the information required to get a full accounting of what has transpired with this particular outfitter, the changing of hands of the licence, the overlap of the areas between the Gwich’in and the Sahtu, and our obligations in terms of when that licence changed hands and all the intermediate steps that got us from where we were to where we are today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The

honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My

questions are addressed to the Minister of Justice. While attending the recent NWT Association of Communities’ Annual General Meeting I learned of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs’ proposal to amend our antiquated Dog Act. This can only be seen as a stop-gap measure to address a real legislative need for new comprehensive animal protection legislation. I know that the Minister of Justice is aware of the public concern around this need. My question to the Minister, then, is: What is planned to ensure that we get the necessary legislation as soon as possible? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The

honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr.

Speaker. I appreciate the Member’s questioning in this area because it is an important process that we’re going through and we take it seriously about the animals in the North here. At the same time, I think that with the NWT Dog Act, it’s the Municipal and Community Affairs department that’s looking into that, but within our Department of Justice, we are pursuing the animal protection legislation that will be before us. We continue to work with ENR and also MACA on this specific piece of work because it will be, I guess you can say, a one-of-a-kind that will be produced. We’re hoping to produce legislation in 2010 as early as possible. Certainly, we have developed option papers between the three departments and we currently are reviewing that to develop models towards the new legislation. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks to the Minister for his

remarks. I guess I’m a little surprised that the Department of ENR is being involved in this. I guess I see animal protection legislation not necessarily extending into Environment and Natural Resources’ realms. But, that being said, that’s,

perhaps, all well and good. I’d like to know if the Minister could give the House some sense of what this animal protection legislation will encompass when it comes forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. I guess, 2010

is not all that bad considering how long it takes us to get legislation enacted in this lovely government. I have heard rumours that this legislation is going to target hunters and trappers and the rights of animals relative to hunting and trapping. I guess I’d like to ask the Minister...He didn’t mention that as being part of the legislation that may come forward. I’d like to know if that is part of the consideration by these three departments. I hope not, but I guess I would like to know if it is being considered. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker,

certainly, during the consultation process I’m sure this part of the discussion will be brought up. We’re going to take in as much input from the general public. The Member is alluding to certain areas; it could be part of the discussion, but the final decision will lie with this Assembly to either pass legislation as presented or make some changes to that matter. So, certainly, I’d like to have input of all the general public of the Northwest Territories and organizations, agencies, and also Members of the Legislative Assembly, because I think this will be a comprehensive legislation that will come forward. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Your final

supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks

again to the Minister. I have one last question. I’d like to know whether or not, with this new legislation, is there the intention of the legislation to provide significant fines or penalties for animal abusers and will there be adequate opportunities in this new act for prosecution of animal abusers?

Mr. Speaker, I think

that’s part of the reason why the Department of Justice is taking the lead role. So we need to cover all aspects of the legislation itself, the enforcement. We need to discuss that further with the general public, with the agencies, and what kind of penalties are they seeking out. We need their input as well. So we’re seeking out all kinds of options and also recommendations to be put forward into legislation. That will be the ongoing discussions that we will be having from here to 2010 next year. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The

honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My

questions today, again, will be focused and directed towards the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Mr. Speaker, it’s no surprise to the Minister that I’m very supportive of green initiatives that can build day-to-day business in an environmental way into our normal lifestyle, because if we can do things better and smarter, I think it’s the easiest way to go as well as, of course, the most accepted way to go. However, part of that, Mr. Speaker, is that sometimes when you do things, people just do them and they don’t know what type of results they get. A couple of years ago I advocated that we should buy things like smart cars, and as I am aware, the Department of Transportation ran out and bought one, then they used one, then it disappeared and then, lo and behold, recently I heard it showed up at Public Works. The question would then be, on this situation: What type of work is done in evaluating these types of green initiatives that we go out and do and what type of results and how do we publicize this information on what type of results we get from switching to these initiatives? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr.

Miltenberger.

Thank you,

Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we attempt to document the savings. For example, in my Minister’s statement today I referenced the savings in C02 gases on the number of cheques we’ve written for folks that were going to embark on energy savings initiatives. As well, there was another...I made two references to the savings in my Minister’s statement. So we do make attempts to quantify that and as we move towards reviewing our Greenhouse Gas Strategy and the targets we’ve set, and as this process evolves and we get better

at it and we look at targets, it’s going to become an even greater requirement. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I followed along with

the Minister’s statement very closely because I thought it was very timely for today and the issues I wanted to raise. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister and his department monitor all the energy initiatives that have been developed over the last few years? Because if you don’t monitor and measure it, you don’t know what you’re doing. Is there a monitoring and measuring process to find out what value we get from all of these initiatives that we keep supporting and passing? Thank you.

There is a

committee of deputies of various departments that have roles to play in these areas. For example, we’re investing a significant amount of money in retrofitting government buildings. We’ve put in boilers in the North Slave Correctional Centre, Chief Jimmy Bruneau School. We’re doing the same in other buildings. We can calculate those savings and those are quantified. We’ve been able to quantify some of the savings through the rebate program. So, yes, we are collectively trying to do that on a more and more efficient and effective basis as we move forward. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, getting back to

measuring and monitoring, I’m wondering what type of evaluation was done on those smart cars that were bought with the idea that we didn’t need to send people around in 4x4s or big trucks or whatever the case may be; we can send people to run errands in small little eco-cars. I’m curious on what type of information was used and, certainly, found in that scenario. Because I can tell you, sometime this winter when I drove by the airport and I could see the Transportation little property out by the golf course, I thought I saw the little smart car sitting there. It didn’t look like it was in service or being used. ---Interjection

No. That was where they keep the

gravel and equipment. Mr. Speaker, has there been any work done to develop in the area of monitoring and finding out what benefits we’ve received on those smart cars we purchased?

Mr. Speaker,

yes, there has. In addition to smart cars, I know that some hybrids are also being used. The Legislative Assembly has one. I know ENR has, as well, invested in hybrids. So, yes, that information can be quantified. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger.

Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.