Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll just speak briefly. A few weeks ago I raised the issue of wanting to see further support from the department through the Arctic Energy Alliance for doors and windows. Since that time I’ve learned that there is an extremely small, I wouldn’t want to even call it meagre because that would sound like there’s something, but there is an extreme sliver of support for insulation, and I think we could be doing a lot more. I have yet to hear back from the Minister as to what the department plans to do or how they plan to move forward on that initiative.

Again, as I talked about that day, that’s where a lot of energy is created and consumed and certainly lost through things like exterior insulation, windows and doors. We could be helping a lot further. Although I would not necessarily speak in any way against things like woodstoves or pellet stoves or those types of heating devices, but if we really want to be talking about how we can save and use less energy, there is certainly one way to go.

I’m glad to see a little bit of what looks like headway on the area of recycling of electronics. That’s kind of nice to hear something is coming.

I would certainly like to hear a little bit on the issue of a tire shredder. That’s been brought up by me and I think at least one other Member or two other Members over the years. It isn’t a new item. It’s certainly one of good value that I think we could be doing something. No one community itself would be able to meet the demand one would normally need to own one, but we could run one up the valley and we could certainly lease it out to our good friends to the east and the west which, of course, is Nunavut and the Yukon. There could be some great opportunities there. Once we own an asset like that, we can ship it up the valley, do some work, do some good work, plus recycle those tires that are just sitting there in some of these communities that will never, ever move.

I would also like to see, over a period of time, some examination towards batteries added to the recyclable list and how we can find ways to get them back into some program rather than being tossed. The latest, of course, is the CF lightbulbs. People are having great concern about the mercury content in them and folks are just throwing them out into their normal waste that heads towards the dump. Of course, these things have turned out to be an interesting anomaly. Although they save you energy on the one hand, there’s mercury that leaches out of them on the other hand when they hit the dump. Work needs to be done and considered on what approach needs to be taken on that one.

There are other issues that I think should be considered on our recyclable list or our best sort of top 10 list on how we want to do business. What I would really like is suggest that the department look at consultation and a little bit of outreach as to what the community, as in the territory, feels about what would be good and useful from our aspect. Every community may have a different perspective, but it’s really nice to… I mean, quite often, and in the nicest sense, departments think they know best and they certainly try to do their best, but public demand could really be out there for things like tire shredders. When we go to communities, they always talk about having to get rid of waste. That’s just an example. What I’m saying, really, is the department should be reaching out for a little bit of

community consultation, get a little feedback and work towards stuff that makes sense in the NWT.

I can’t imagine us having ENR before us without talking about the fire season. This will be the year we talk about for generations to come, unfortunately. It will always be the subject at hand. Oh, geez. Can you remember the 2014 season? We’re barely starting the 2015 year and, of course, we’re going to be spending a lot of time comparing it. I think what’s going to have to happen here is I would really like to hear from the Minister as to a revision of policy, because there’s no way we can afford to keep fighting a $60 million fire if we have another low water year and a bad fire year. There’s just no way we can keep up with that and we’re going to have to start making some particularly interesting choices, choices no one’s going to want to make, especially during an election year, we all know. But the truth be told, it’s the fact that we’re supposed to be here for tough choices.

One issue that had come up, and I know they had done some recent consultation, of course, but one issue that had come up to me was, of course, an interesting one. I don’t know what value or what strategy the department will have, but I’d certainly like to see the department invest in sprinkler kits so we can be more prepared and allow residents to help fight their own fires by protecting their own assets such as their cabins.

The last issue I’ll make mention of is I had mentioned the other day in the House during questions about Giant Mine remediation. I think it’s funny. In my opinion, and I stress “mine,” it’s such a really good idea. I don’t know why people are ignoring it, which is trying to get the information out there to find someone else who will solve their problem.

In no way have I ever suggested the GNWT needs to invest the $10 million as a prize by trying to attract someone from who knows what corner of this earth, but somebody who has the power, ability, time and skills in order to help solve the arsenic trioxide problem. I understand the department will say it has too many things on the go. If we could do everything, we would do everything. I understand those answers. In all fairness, I realize that there’s some truth to that. But I brought this up over a year ago and we’re still no further ahead on this particular problem.

At times you think Ministers forget what it’s like to be on the Members’ side trying to find solutions to problems when you don’t have all the resources the departments have. On some of these it’s very frustrating to watch.

I look at our community. We’re sitting on basically the pill that could poison the world. Whether that is the truth or an outlandish exaggeration, the fact being is if the arsenic releases, it will do grave harm, one that would be so difficult to calculate and

I can’t imagine the comprehension of fixing it, which is maybe just one of those things that it just probably could never be fixed if it ever became a tragedy.

To me that’s why it’s so important that we start getting the information out there. I provided the example of crowdsourcing of ideas. It’s a new world. Someone who may have said crowdsourcing of ideas and funding an opportunity 10 years ago might have been the most foolish idea in the world, but it’s a different world. I look forward to the next 10 years where we will be looking at things we do today and we’ll be asking ourselves, why didn’t we spend a little more time on them. I’m not convinced it’s going to require a whole lot of time. I think, if the department spends a little resources on coming up with a bit of a strategy, I don’t believe it would cost a lot of money, especially compared to the fact that it is federal money but it’s $1.9 million to operate that in perpetuity of today’s dollars. It’s still a steal if we give it away at $10 million to somebody who could find a solution for that.

I don’t even know where to begin with a solution. That’s not my area, but like I said, the world is a funny place. Someone could be in Prague today working on something extremely similar or someone could be in Savanna, one of the states in the United States, or someone could be in Malaysia working on something similar. We just don’t know. But the great thing about the world is that the Internet has tied us together in the way that we communicate, and it’s difficult to foresee where it’s going to take us. That’s the exciting thing, is that all good ideas, I often think, are built on other good ideas. We always stand on the shoulders of giants just to see that little bit further through knowledge. Could this be the way to see just that little bit further to gain the knowledge? Maybe sometimes someone will be staring at the key to this particular problem at Giant Mine with the arsenic sitting there. The answer might be sitting right in front of them. Many discoveries, although we don’t have time today, have been made by great accident. But it was built on time, circumstance and raw genius being able to recognize the solution right in front of them. Accidents like Pasteur had by leaving his specimens on the table and coming back the next day and the world changed. It’s hard to believe, but he also had the skill of recognizing what he found. Excitement and breakthroughs have all started by being able to think differently and seeing the problem a different way.

Those are a few comments on the general department. I wish them well in this next budget year. Thank you.