This is page numbers 4927 - 4952 of the Hansard for the 16th 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 work.

Topics

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you. I committed to the Member for Yellowknife Centre that we’d look at this and the timeline he suggested we agreed to, which is this coming fall to have something that would lay out and put a frame

around this issue. I’d also point out that if we’re going to be spending that many thousands of dollars to replace a tank to keep a boiler going and then the boiler goes but you’ve bought this brand new $4,000 tank so you spend another $10,000 to replace the boiler, that we’ll be in a cycle that we’ll never get out of. We’re going to have to look at the cost comparison across the type of appliances and if we’re serious about looking at alternative energy, that will be part of our consideration so that we’re not just investing money because we’re in a cycle we can’t get out of with diesel equipment. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement and ask what work has been done to get the process on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy, the new one we’re expecting for next April, started. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There has been work done. Initially, our Climate Change Committee has been pushing on this. The departments have met. ENR has pulled together the initial discussions to lay out the plan for consultation that will occur in the coming months. I’d also point out that there’s some related work that’s going on that could have a bearing, given some of the topics of discussion.

As we look at the paper on the tax system and tax shifting, in that particular document we talk about and raise a number of issues that are tied to this particular Greenhouse Gas Strategy as well, or could be, and that’s the whole area of what level of involvement are we prepared to contemplate if we look at tax shifting with targets, carbon taxes, that whole debate and discussion. So there is a significant amount of work that’s going on in this area. Thank you.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Appreciation to the Minister for those comments. Obviously he’s been thinking about this. How does the Minister see this unfolding so that the public is aware of what’s going on and the process for consultation? Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Both of those initiatives I talked about will be put through a process where the documents will be prepared and put out for discussion, initially, and feedback. We’ll be working with committees, of course, and we’ll be looking for that feedback in a timely way, making

sure that we link all the different initiatives that we do have in regard to the renewal, and I would assume expansion and enhancement of the Greenhouse Gas Strategy so that it looks outside of the internal look at government. Thank you.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Again, thanks for those remarks. I’d like to, sort of like the Biomass Strategy, a great strategy, I agree with it, but there are no targets, there is no schedule for implementation. So I’m wondering if the Minister would commit to putting this process down on paper with the targets, the time targets and achievements that we can expect through the years so that we’re, indeed, coming in on schedule and bringing that to committee, say, when we meet at the end of June or sometime that’s convenient and not too far down in the year. Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

We can talk about the process. I would suggest that we have set a whole host of targets in terms of actual conversions to biomass, both within government and outside of government. We’ve targeted money, we’ve targeted resources, and we’re looking at projects across the land as it pertains to biomass and a host of other alternative energy ways mainly through the annual business planning process. Now, if there’s a need to put those numbers into a different form and possibly add to them, of course, we would be willing to have that discussion with committee. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The time for question period has expired; however, I will allow the Member one final supplementary question. Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks again for that commitment. I think it would be good and I’m speaking, really, here, of the development of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy to have a specific timeline laid out for this process. I know public consultation is difficult, especially on an issue like this. It’s important to everyone. So I think that would be helpful and highlighting where and how MLAs could have early input into the process and so on. So I think that would be useful. Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

I concur with the Member. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 8, written questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

1. How many people are currently registered with

the NWT Health Care Plan?

2. How many of those people registered

temporarily reside outside of the Northwest Territories?

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

How much money has the Government of Canada provided to Health and Social Services for residential school survivors over the last five years?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents: GNWT Traditional Knowledge Annual Report 2009-2010 as well as the GNWT Geographic Tracking of Expenditures: Expenditure Data for the Year Ended March 31, 2007. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents entitled Agriculture Products Marketing Council 2008-2009 Annual Report and Agriculture Products Marketing Council 2009-2010 Annual Report.

As well, Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Growing Forward: Small Scale Foods Program Community Gardening Initiative 2009-2010 Annual Report. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 15, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 20, 2010, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories calls on the Government of Canada to fully reinstate the funding previously provided to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation; and further, that the Speaker formally transmit this motion and the content of our proceedings today to the federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs for his consideration and action. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 20, 2010, I will move that Bill 10, Supplementary Appropriation Act

(Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2010-2011, be read for the first time. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 20, 2010, I will move that Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 3, 2010-2011, be read for the first time. Thank you.