This is page numbers 4991 - 5034 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 territories.

Topics

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In Norman Wells, as the Member knows, the Town of Norman Wells purchases natural gas from Imperial Oil and NTPC purchases natural gas from the Town for electricity generation and it does fall under the purview of the Public Utilities Board. The Public Utilities Board deals with natural gas on a complaints-only basis on the generation of power. The Public Utilities Board makes sure that the rates charged for power or natural gas that generates power is less than the cost of heating fuel. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister look into the possibility of directing the Public Utilities Board to regulate the price of gas in Norman Wells to make it closer to the cost of production?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, the agreements that are in place require us to monitor it. It is tied to the price of heating oil. We monitor it on that basis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Would the Minister consider going beyond the monitoring of heating oil to regulate the Public Utilities Board to regulate the price of gas in Norman Wells to make it closer to the cost of production?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you. I think we have an opportunity now that we are looking to implement changes to the electricity rate structure and we will certainly be involving the Public Utilities Board as we go through that process. So we would endeavour to review that in light of the fact that Norman Wells natural gas supply is depleting very rapidly. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll ask the Minister if he would pursue better pricing with the federal government so that we can improve the cost of living in Norman Wells.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you. We do have the opportunity, as well, to look at the thermal rates, whether Norman Wells could be included as part of the thermal rate communities, that’s another option. But as far as the federal government and their one-third ownership of the Norman Wells production, that’s something that we’ll take under advisement. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask questions of the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources about caribou management of the Bathurst herd. I’d like to start with the withdrawal of a question from the Supreme Court on the ability of GNWT to fully restrict the caribou hunting by aboriginal people in certain areas.

Obviously, I think it’s clear to the Minister the biggest issue is with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, and they clearly did not want this question withdrawn from the courts. So I’m wondering why indeed Cabinet decided to withdraw this question from the courts. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The question that was put forward to the courts and subsequently, as Members are aware, that we’ve withdrawn that question. It was after a meeting with aboriginal leadership across the Territories that we took that into consideration and the work that we do with the regional leadership. In the discussions with the leadership across the Northwest Territories it was felt that the better avenue was to sit down together and work through this arrangement, and that’s what we’ve done. Thank you.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you. Once again, I appreciate those remarks from the Premier. I hope that there was some communication with the Yellowknives Dene on this and some agreement before that decision was made, but it does beg the question: what is the government doing now to work with the Yellowknives Dene on the caribou management issue to ensure that a quality, fully supported caribou management plan is in place by this fall? Thank you.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you. Since that information is detailed ongoing discussions with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, I’ll have that redirected to Minister Miltenberger.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are currently fully engaged, of course, in the Wek’eezhii process. At the same time, we recognize the need to have a parallel process with the Akaitcho and the Yellowknives. There have been meetings this week and every week preceding this week as well with our very senior ADM, with the chief or a dozen elders. Today is basically their elders’ summit to talk about the steps ahead to come up with an arrangement that we can have in place for this coming hunting season, as well as

map out the plan forward for a longer term as we plan for the Bathurst herd and it will be linked and integrated into the Wek’eezhii process so that we have an overall coordinated caribou plan for the Bathurst herd. Thank you.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you. That’s easy to say, but obviously it wasn’t easy, it was impossible to deliver in the past, it wasn’t delivered. What exceptional effort is the department putting in to getting this done in a way that will actually achieve the goals the Minister just mentioned? Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you. We have, firstly, there’s been an enormous amount of work put into this whole issue. There is a significant incentive, the ban is in place and will stay in place until we have something to replace it with. So the plan is -- and the parties are all aware of this -- that we want to apply ourselves to come up with an agreement. There have been very strong signals, not only signals, but so far the cooperation of the Yellowknives and we intend to keep working with them along with the Wek’eezhii and the Northwest Territories Metis to come up with a plan. While it may be an interim arrangement because a long-term plan is going to take some time, I’m convinced and I’m committed to getting an interim arrangement for the Bathurst herd for this coming hunting season. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I appreciate the comments from the Minister. I hope that he is successful in that commitment. It is a big challenge and we do not want... Obviously, nobody wants to end up where we were here recently. Caribou don’t benefit and neither does anybody else. Will the plan that’s being developed here take into consideration both the numbers we know and the poor condition and low survival of calves that seems to be indicated with the most recent information as a result of looking at the hunted animals in that range? Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you. Yes, we’re going to take all those factors into consideration as there will be more work done this summer on the Bluenose East, we’re going to try to do some work on the Ahiak, we’re going to do as well some work on the Bathurst. So we intend that all that information has to be added to the mix. We’re going to build in the traditional knowledge that has been part of this process so far, work with the communities as well to come up with the best information, and, once again, the indications are that there is strong commitment by all the parties to come up with a plan so that we’re ready for this coming hunting season and that the ban can be replaced by a management plan that has been signed off by the aboriginal governments. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Minister of Transportation as a follow-up to my statement earlier today. I mentioned a report that the department was working on and I understand that the department’s report has been finished and I think it has also gone to committee. I’d like to know from the Minister whether or not that’s accurate and if that’s the case, will this report be made available to the public and how soon. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. I missed the Minister you were directing your question to, Ms. Bisaro. Can you clarify that?

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Minister of Transportation, please.