This is page numbers 4649 – 4690 of the Hansard for the 17th 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 public.

Topics

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to do two quick things. I’d like to just give a bit more context and then speak to some of the specifics of the work that’s being done.

In the last Assembly there was a recognition that we were moving towards devolution, and it was going to come and we need to get our thinking clear, and we started the work on the Land Use and Sustainability Framework, we started the work on the Water Strategy, we enhanced and increased our efforts to get the Wildlife Act done. We accomplished those things so that as we moved forward to take over the authorities we’re talking about here today, we were ready. That we are not starting from a blank sheet of paper trying to get our thinking clear at a time when people expect us to be productive and ready to manage.

When we started the 17th Assembly, we laid out

publicly that we were going to be working on a guidance document, what we saw as the best practices that needed to be done as we were going to take over authorities for oil and gas, and we had to deal with hydraulic fracturing. We said this publicly and we committed to timelines. There was some slippage, but the work was done. It was an intense amount of work. It was done in conjunction with working with SCEDI, and we went back and forth on the work. We resulted in what was released in this House earlier in this session by Minister Ramsay as it pertains to best practices, the commitment to go out and consult. The plan always was clear, this document with the Legislative Assembly, then we are going to go out to industry and the public, and that is what now we are intending to do.

In regard to specific things that are underway as we do this work, since we need to keep moving and we can’t put everything into neutral, I just want to lay out some of the things we are doing.

The GNWT has spent, committed or facilitated third-party funding of almost $4 million for monitoring activities focused on quantifying baseline environmental conditions in the Sahtu since 2013.

The Sahtu Environmental Research and Monitoring Forum provides a revenue for community research needs to be communicated to industry, the GNWT and Canada.

Wildlife research and monitoring is underway in the Sahtu. We have completed the first of a proposed four-year project to examine four research teams related to wildlife and wildlife habitat.

Field-based studies were done in 2013 to collect information related to forest disturbance and biological diversity. Existing research will be consolidated into a geospatial database this year.

The forum will also convene an experts’ workshop and cross-cultural research camp in 2014 to

develop a database of regional traditional knowledge.

Funding was also provided for a project to consolidate all existing knowledge regarding surface and groundwater monitoring in these areas under consideration for increased oil and gas exploration activity in the Sahtu. This project will prepare a geospatial data management plan to integrate and provide the basis for mapping ground and surface water data. Traditional knowledge from the area will also be sought to gain local insights into key ground and surface water considerations. A contract has already been issued to conduct this work.

This is just some of the work being undertaken by industry, the GNWT and Canada to collect the needed baseline information for the Sahtu region. Data and information gathered through the exploration phase of shale oil extraction is vital in the collection of baseline data, which is important in determining the environmental impacts of shale oil extraction in the Sahtu. There have been, and will continue to be, numerous opportunities for the communities to engage in discussions with industry, regulators and government on hydraulic fracturing. We encourage people and need to have to be actively engaged in these discussions to ensure we are looking at the sustainable development of our natural resources for the benefit of all residents.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. To the motion. I’ll allow the mover of the motion, Mr. Bromley, to have closing remarks. Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to all my colleagues here today for their participation in this debate. I think some really cogent points were brought forward. Certainly, with the major progress we’ve made on devolution, the development of the MVRMA land claims legislation, that was definitely a big achievement and it was noted that it also brings a big responsibility, and to some degree, therefore, this is a test, and it calls for leadership to call a public forum, so I appreciated that point.

I heard several Members concerned about what is industry thinking. What messages are we sending to industry? My response to that is: What about the public? What messages are we sending to the public?

The timing is appropriate here, as has been brought out several times. The Premier likes to highlight how desperate industry is. The richest corporations in the world, they’re going to leave and they really need to be here. I think the point is that there is a lull. They’re pulling out for a while. That’s not atypical. The boom and bust is characteristic of this industry. There is an opportunity here, and I suspect there would be a lot of jobs associated with a real comprehensive public review for those that

were looking for work, so what better time to do this.

I heard that there’s an opportunity to do it right versus quickly. To ask the question, is fracking right for the NWT, and if so, how? That’s what we’re talking about here today.

The concern for local business because of this lull, again, this is just a fact of life in this industry, but again, my response to that is: What about concern for the public generally? We’re hearing from the public. I hope I outlined in all the whereases that we developed here, we made clear that there is concern out there.

We know that these developments might be in one region right now, but clearly it’s very likely to be occurring in other regions, the fracking activity, and impacts will also be felt both upstream and downstream. Input from all residents should, therefore, be welcomed. Certainly, the claims that there is no evidence of some case of impacts needs to be publicly evaluated, and that’s what this motion is about.

I heard from a couple of Members, including the Premier, that there is a concern about people working there and that we need an economy. Well, our residents actually have many ideas about an economic path on which we can move forward to address that need, which is well recognized and which I support in ways, as I mentioned in my statement, that doesn’t have big impacts on other people, their health, their land and so on.

It would halt industry for years to come. Well, how have so many other jurisdictions managed to consult with their people, and we have a parallel situation with our neighbour right next to us. They’re doing a very admirable, comprehensive, public process. I do not understand the reluctance to do this at all.

So this is basically – and again, I don’t want to stress that we have the two-year window to do this – a motion to hear the voice of our public. We are calling for a role in our design for exploitation of resources. This consultation would be comprehensive and include all perspectives; business would not be excluded, industry would not be excluded. This would include all perspectives and respond to any concerns brought forward.

In other jurisdictions the government plays a real role in responsibly calling for public input. Without support for this motion, it is clear that residents will have to seek a response solely through the land and water boards, and if so, so be it. Again, I look to other governments and the examples they set, the Yukon and so on.

So I do urge Members to support this and respect the public’s desire to be heard. With that, I am going to stop and ask for a recorded vote, Mr. Speaker. Thank you again for this opportunity.

Thanks to my colleagues for all those points they brought forward.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Member has asked for a recorded vote. All those in favour, please rise.

Principal Clerk, Corporate And Interparliamentary Affairs (Ms. Bennett)

Mr. Bromley, Mr. Nadli, Mr. Hawkins and Ms. Bisaro.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

All those opposed, please rise.

Principal Clerk, Corporate And Interparliamentary Affairs (Ms. Bennett)

Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Blake, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Miltenberger, Mr. McLeod – Yellowknife South, Mr. Lafferty, Mr. Ramsay, Mr. McLeod – Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Dolynny, Mr. Bouchard, Mr. Moses.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

All of those abstaining, please rise.All those in favour, four; all those opposed, 13; abstentions, zero. The motion is defeated.

---Defeated

Item 18, first reading of bills. Mr. Abernethy.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 29, Human Tissue Donation Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Motion is on the floor.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Question has been called. Bill 29 has had first reading and is ready for second reading.

---Carried

Mr. Beaulieu.

Bill 30: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act
First Reading of Bills

June 3rd, 2014

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 30, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Motion is on the floor.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Question has been called.Bill 30 has had first reading and is ready for second reading.

---Carried

Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, with Mr. Dolynny in the chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. Ms. Bisaro, wish of committee?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move we report progress.

---Carried

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

I will now rise and report progress.

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Mr. Dolynny, can I have the report of Committee of the Whole, please.

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Bill 26, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act; and Committee Reports 7-17(5) and 8-17(5) and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Do I have a seconder to the motion? Mr. Miltenberger.

---Carried

Item 22, third reading of bills. Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 8, Write-off of Debts Act, 2013-2014, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.