This is page numbers 6331 – 6390 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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

We are going one step further than that. We are getting out across the Northwest Territories. We are meeting with people in their home communities and we will continue to do that. As I mentioned to the Member, if there are communities that want to see us show up on their doorstep to talk about these draft regulations, that is something we will consider. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for Mr. Ramsay, Minister Ramsay of ITI.

I would like to first ask if the Minister’s department agrees with the science on climate change. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to see the science the Member talks about. Thank you.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

It’s of great concern if the Minister hasn’t seen the science on climate change. I think everybody in the world should see it, but probably not nearly as much as this Minister should.

Would the Minister commit to becoming intimately familiar with the scientific conclusions on climate change? Mahsi.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Having spent four years with MLA Bromley in the committee of EDI during the life of the last government, I did learn a lot about climate change. I want to thank him for that. If he was more specific about one publication or another, I am familiar with the science on climate change. But if he is specific about one piece of work or another, then I may be able to comment on that. As far as a blanket statement, I am not sure what the Member is getting at. Thank you.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Does the Minister of the department and the public support the permanent toxification or pollution of billions of litres of fresh water annually taken from our surface water in the NWT, polluted and stored forever, hopefully, safely underground? Mahsi.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Again, the Member is asking me some pretty leading questions and I take that question as notice. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of ITI, we need to look at this issue of fracking in the Northwest Territories. A lot of the questions we need to face are to face the unknowns but, more importantly, address the fears of the unknowns and have a respectful discussion.

About the water and the chemicals, there are comments out there as to the issue of the use of water and chemicals, and it’s pretty frightening when you look at them. Since the 1920s, Imperial Oil has been drilling. The Sahtu Land and Water Board renewed the Esso licence that is drawing millions, if not billions, over a 10-year period. Husky’s well application, if you look at the Esso amount of water that they’re going to be taking out, half of it going to the oil plant operation and half will go back into the Mackenzie River. Husky’s application is 0.1 percent of Imperial’s request.

I want to know from the Minister, has he seen any other alterations in the water around the Deh Cho including Fort Liard and to the Cameron Hills? Could the Minister direct me to which question that he can answer on these two points?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

If the question is directly related to water, it would be best answered by the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Could I direct my questions to the Minister of ENR?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Minister.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now I have to beg the indulgence of the House to restate the question so I can get it clearly. I was doing some other things.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Yakeleya, you’re going to have to restate your question for the proper Minister. You started off with ITI and then you switched over to ENR. You’re only allowed one question per Minister. Now, the guy who can do that is the Premier, so we’ll go from there.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

I do apologize, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of ITI, in his discussions with his colleagues from ENR, has the Minister seen any type of alterations in the water use in other areas where there has been hydraulic fracking in the Cameron Hills and around the Fort Liard area?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Not that I am aware of.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

I want to ask the Minister of ITI, in regard to the hydraulic fracking that had been happening in the Fort Liard area under the Lone Pine Resources and also in the ‘70s around the Cameron Hills area, has the Minister, in his discussions with his colleagues, seen any type of disturbance with the land around the areas that had been hydraulically fracked?

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Again, not that I am aware of, but that is a pretty specific question. We can get that level of detail for the Member.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have been fracking in the Northwest Territories. There is vertical fracking and horizontal fracking. There has been fracking in the Cameron Hills in the ‘70s and we’ve been fracking in the Lone Pine Resources in Fort Liard. Imperial Oil actually has been doing some fracking under a different name.

I want to know from the Minister, through all these different fracks throughout the years, has the Minister, with his colleagues, seen any type of environmental issues that are raised by the anti-fracking groups?