Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Bohnet.

Thank you, Mr. Bohnet. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the deputy for that. Again, it shows that by working together we can accomplish a lot, more importantly to ensure that we have the means of doing it.

Also in Fort McPherson, we already have basically residual heat system, and again the community, not only the tribal council but the hamlet of Fort McPherson, also very much want to get involved, because they realize that what they do to reduce their energy footprint, more importantly in regards to their energy use, it will save them money in the long run and they can put money back into the communities for programs and services, but also

looking at alternative ways of using that energy, because it is a high cost item for operation and maintenance of municipal government. Again, they are looking at biomass and residual heat to heat their facilities. They are looking at replacing either the garages or even how do they cut down on the cost of heating water in the water treatment plant, things like that. I think that we have to work with not only the Aboriginal governments but the community governments and work in conjunction with the community plan that, basically, groups are developing and also access not only our dollars but gas tax money and other resources that are out there. Again, we have to be conscious of these activities out there, but again, I think that we should basically continue on with that working relationship, but again, at the end of the day it all comes down to money and I know that we just went through a supplemental review in which a lot of dollars have been lapsed because the activities haven’t really moved anywhere. Great ideas, but again, it is to re-establish, to re-invest those dollars to the groups that are ready and work with them to basically implement their ideas, but more importantly, start implementing some of these activities in the communities and the regions and move on these programs. I’d just like to know where do we see the additional capital dollars coming from in light of your expenditure amount. I notice it’s been reduced by almost $900,000 in regard to your energy management expenditure. I’d just like to know where are the capital dollars going to come from to implement these ideas.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This year the money that we’ve committed is about $17 million across the various energy initiatives. I think there’s one more year left after that. We’re looking at partnerships, of course, and the 17

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determine their ongoing commitment to this area and the kind of money that’s going to be available to put into it. In some of the cases, as we pointed out with our review of the supplementary appropriation, there have been some deferrals because work wasn’t ready and when the work is ready, the funds will be made available, in some cases. We’re going to have to look at all these different areas to make sure we’ve put the dollars we have to the best use and wherever possible try to leverage our dollars to access others. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, again, I think it’s important that we do identify climate change and impacts that we’re seeing. I think one of the most obvious impacts that we can see is the erosion that we’re seeing with the melting permafrost and the slumping that’s happening throughout the tundra in regard to the coastline erosion and erosion in our mountain valleys, and more importantly, creeks that

are basically filling up with mud from slumping and sliding. I think that we have to realize that it’s eventually going to continue to grow. I think that’s one area that we can really show the rest of the world how climate change is affecting us, because it’s happening right in front of us. You can actually see how large an area these slumps are turning into and they’re huge.

I had an opportunity to go to a mining conference here in Yellowknife and you had a presenter from your office who was presenting a study that they did just outside of Fort McPherson along the Dempster Highway, and it was amazing how fast just this summer the erosion that took place in a matter of a couple of months and the amount of precipitation that we’ve had by way of rain and how heavy the rains are becoming, which is speeding up the process of melting permafrost, but more importantly, the affect it’s having not only on the land but it’s also affecting the water, it’s affecting the fish habitat, it’s affecting the downstream affects, and also it’s affecting the temperature of the water in the river systems and lakes, and more importantly, even eventually it’s going to be in the ocean. I think that we have to be realistic here, that whatever’s happening out there will have a detrimental effect to all of us regardless if it’s the human species or animal species or bird species, because we are going to be affected one way or the other.

Again, I’d just like to know what are we doing to basically put out more video coverage or promote the impacts that we’re seeing nationally and around the world so that the rest of the world can realize that what’s happening is not simply a slogan but it’s reality. Thank you.

As the Member pointed out, the ENR staff was presenting the results of some of the studies that were being done in the mountains in his constituency. We have, through our research agenda, we’ve laid out this whole area as an area that requires study, and there are world-class experts like Dr. Pomeroy from the University of Saskatoon that have spent 30 years up here working and there’s enormous interest from the scientific community to find out what’s happening for all the reasons the Member has mentioned, as well as just some of the incredible releases of carbon and methane that may result with the melting. As the government, as the Member well knows, over the last number of years we’ve been dealing with just the permafrost issues just with piles alone and our roads, the issue or the erosion that you talk about. The North is very clearly moving at a rate of change that is many times faster than the rest of the world, so there is an enormous amount of attention here, as well, and we’re still feeling some of the residual attention from the International Polar Year, as well.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. And that’s the University of Saskatchewan, I believe, in Saskatoon. Next, I have on my list Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a question here related to the money in the budget for geothermal. At the time of business plans there was a statement… I’ll back up. The Minister is well aware that the City of Yellowknife is putting intensive efforts into determining the feasibility and possibility to go forward on a geothermal project there in Yellowknife. I think the Minister probably should also know that the federal government has promised almost $15 million or up to $15 million based on whether or not the City is willing to sort of put in the other necessary funds. My question to the Minister at this point is: is this government supportive of the project that the City of Yellowknife is undertaking and what contribution has this government made in terms of geothermal to the City of Yellowknife project? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ve met with the mayor and his people about this project along with ENR staff. We’ve provided some modest assistance doing some preplanning. We, of course, are looking at, if this goes ahead, the impact that it would have in terms of savings to energy costs and the various government buildings that are there, but at this point, there has been no, that I’m aware of, no specific monetary ask from the City of Yellowknife. They’re aware of our limitations, which we discussed with Mayor Van Tighem. While we are supportive, that has been more in the moral support kind of category as opposed to fiscal support. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister. I guess my question then is should there be a formal request to this government for funding? Would the Minister consider it as seriously as possible within the parameters of our current fiscal situation? I guess I’m asking will there be some financial support for this project at some point in time if the City puts forward an ask? Thank you.

When there are requests we always make every effort to accommodate within the fiscal realities that are before us. Should there be a specific request from the City of Yellowknife, then we would give it fair and due consideration.

Thank you, Minister. Next on my list I have Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to ask the Minister, they had a biomass report, sorry, wood pellet district heating study done in the Territories, October 2010, four months ago, by the

Arctic Energy Alliance. In the budget here there’s $1.3 million for the biomass energy, page 13-18. The report states what they found to be deficient, dare I say, in terms of supporting district heating in communities that would be beneficial. I want to ask the Minister are there plans to go forward with this report and look at communities such as Gameti, Whati, Tulita, Fort Good Hope and Tuktoyaktuk to look at plans to go forward on a district heating initiative for those communities that what the report says what they learned for the communities that are off the all-season road highway system.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The intention at this still preliminary stage of the road of all this alternative energy money and the Biomass Strategy is to work with communities and regions to find ways to put in infrastructure that will allow the use of biomass and in where it makes sense and their technology is there, if there is a district heating, district power kind of opportunity that is there, we are interested in that as well. The Member has to keep in mind what we are talking about here. The 16

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started the process that is going to stretch out before us I would suggest for the next 10 years or so as we make a transition in terms of the type of energy infrastructure we have and what we want to change to. This money is getting us started to work with communities to do that initial planning, identify where we can do pilots, what type of pilots, recognizing that each region and each community will have a unique energy plan in many cases. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, the Minister is certainly correct. Also in the report it states warrant further investigations to the communities that are listed out. Certainly they also have communities listed for all-weather road, communities that would benefit from a district heating system. These are the communities that are favourable for economic potential for biomass initiatives. My point, Mr. Chairman, is that the communities that are on the winter road resupply that I listed off have not gotten lost in the system. Mr. Minister has indicated that there are already plans in place. Again, I am going to state clearly that some of these other regions and communities that are receiving a lot of attention are communities in our Sahtu have a high cost of living, fuel prices, transportation and other factors. We certainly can use some support to start bringing down the cost of living and provide some opportunities. I take it that the Minister is going to hear some good things once they have their meetings in the Sahtu communities and you can look at the number of initiatives that could happen there and have the new government or Assembly look at making it a priority to put some of the initiatives in place. You know the cost of doing

business in the Sahtu is very high. I am hoping that we would see some of these initiatives sooner than later. That is my point. I just want to make that resonate with the department while he has the senior officials here with us. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the Member’s comments and his request and his intent to make us aware of this. As the deputy indicated, there are going to be meetings in the Sahtu communities before the end of this fiscal year. Within the next five weeks, there is going to be work done and the intent is, like we are doing across the North, to come up with the regional plans and community plans and then we can start the planning process and identify the resources that we are going to need to try to move forward on as many of these initiatives as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Committee, we are on page 13-17. Ms. Bisaro.

Mr. Chairman, I wanted to ask some questions here related to waste sites and the management of them and cleaning up of them and responsibility for them. With the AIP having been signed, I believe there is a section in there which deals with environmental liability and cleanup of waste sites, mine sites and so on. I would like to know from the Minister if he could explain the department’s responsibility in terms of waste sites and the impact the AIP will have on that responsibility. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Miltenberger.

Mr. Chairman, there are some like Giant Mine where there is a separate agreement that will be separate from the agreement-in-principle where we have a signed arrangement with the federal government and ourselves, and then I will ask the deputy to speak about our responsibility on Commissioner’s land and some of the other waste site issues. Thank you.