This is page numbers 233 - 252 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd 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 program.

Topics

Question 107-18(2): Status Of Thaidene Nene Park Developement
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources.

Question 107-18(2): Status Of Thaidene Nene Park Developement
Oral Questions

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and the Member is correct. Interim land withdrawal is expiring in the coming days, but we have applied to renew that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 107-18(2): Status Of Thaidene Nene Park Developement
Oral Questions

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

I want to thank the Minister for the response. I think one of the key pieces that's missing to get this going a little more quickly is a review of the Territorial Parks Act. This is an ancient piece of legislation that dates from the 1970s that helped us set up roadside campgrounds, and it really needs to be updated to provide for much bigger protected areas, landscape-level sort of protection. Is the Minister prepared to review and amend the Territorial Parks Act?

Question 107-18(2): Status Of Thaidene Nene Park Developement
Oral Questions

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

The Territorial Parks Act is actually under the banner of ITI, but we will be looking at bringing that forward with him and it's something in the mandate of this 18th Assembly.

Question 107-18(2): Status Of Thaidene Nene Park Developement
Oral Questions

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

I appreciate the answer from the Minister. Can the Minister tell us when we might expect to see a legislative proposal for the Territorial Parks Act?

Question 107-18(2): Status Of Thaidene Nene Park Developement
Oral Questions

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

That is something we would have to confirm. As I said, it falls under the department of ITI, but we can look into it and get back to the Member.

Question 107-18(2): Status Of Thaidene Nene Park Developement
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Question 107-18(2): Status Of Thaidene Nene Park Developement
Oral Questions

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and I look forward to getting the information from the Minister. The last question I have on this is this. I did attend a public consultation session on the Thaidene Nene last year. I was a bit alarmed to hear the Minister of the day of Environment and Natural Resources say that the primary objective of the territorial government was to limit the federal footprint in the Northwest Territories with regard to Thaidene Nene. I don't think that's a good idea. The feds actually can bring money to the table, and actually have a lot of experience with co-managing parks. I just want to ask the Minister. Is it still a primary objective of the GNWT to try to limit to federal footprint in the Northwest Territories with regard to Thaidene Nene? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Question 107-18(2): Status Of Thaidene Nene Park Developement
Oral Questions

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

This is something that the department is still working on with all Aboriginal governments and partners, including Parks Canada and people in the general public, so what the park and who controls what in the end is still not a final decision. That’s something that we will continue to work on, and we can engage the Member on that too.

Question 107-18(2): Status Of Thaidene Nene Park Developement
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Question 108-18(2): Boat For Aklavik RCMP Detachment
Oral Questions

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a few questions for the Minister of Justice. During my last tour of my constituency, I visited the RCMP in Aklavik and found that they actually don't have a boat in the community, which, as you may know, is isolated for a good portion of the year, mostly during the summer. If there's any search and rescue or issues like that, how will the RCMP respond? I'd like to ask the Minister: What are the plans for getting a boat for the RCMP in Aklavik? Thank you.

Question 108-18(2): Boat For Aklavik RCMP Detachment
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Minister of Justice.

Question 108-18(2): Boat For Aklavik RCMP Detachment
Oral Questions

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I understand from what the Member has said is that there is no boat at Aklavik. I understand that there are several boats in Inuvik. I can look into this for the Member, but I don't have any information before me. Thank you.

Question 108-18(2): Boat For Aklavik RCMP Detachment
Oral Questions

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

It's good to hear that there's a number of boats in Inuvik. So what's the Minister's plan? Is he going to transfer a boat to Aklavik for the RCMP there?

Question 108-18(2): Boat For Aklavik RCMP Detachment
Oral Questions

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Certainly nothing will be done before the ice goes, but -- ---Laughter

I think that's mainly an internal issue for the RCMP to determine the allocation of resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 108-18(2): Boat For Aklavik RCMP Detachment
Oral Questions

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

We have less than two months here to figure out a solution, otherwise, as the Minister identified we'll have no ice road to actually ship the boat over. We can bring it over in the summer, but then we won't have a trailer to take the boat out of the water. Will the Minister ensure that by the end of the ice road season there is a boat in Aklavik for the RCMP, in case we have an emergency over the spring breakup? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 108-18(2): Boat For Aklavik RCMP Detachment
Oral Questions

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

I don't really think I can make that kind of a commitment. Again, it's an internal matter for the RCMP to determine the allocation of resources. I will, however, look into it and get back to the Member.

Question 108-18(2): Boat For Aklavik RCMP Detachment
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Question 109-18(2): Highway 1 Maintenance
Oral Questions

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I asked the Minister of Transportation to make a commitment either that he's going to look at the efficiencies of combining it, or put signage and post on the website as to whom complaints should be addressed. I didn't get an answer. Can I get the Minister to please make a commitment to either looking at the department moving it to Simpson, to placing signage on the road and on the website? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 109-18(2): Highway 1 Maintenance
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Minister of Transportation.

Question 109-18(2): Highway 1 Maintenance
Oral Questions

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can assure the Member I will look into the matter, and as I stated earlier in the House today until we make a decision on the Member's concerns, they can phone the 1-800 number or get a hold of myself. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 109-18(2): Highway 1 Maintenance
Oral Questions

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I thank the Minister for the answer, but why can't we put it on the website? Why can we not put it on the website saying here's the information and to whom to address the issues?

Question 109-18(2): Highway 1 Maintenance
Oral Questions

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

I can talk to my department to see about how we can address his concerns, but in the meantime we'll have to have a look internally what we're going to do with this.

Question 109-18(2): Highway 1 Maintenance
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Oral questions. The time has expired for oral questions. Item 8, written questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Written Question 2-18(2): Environmental Liability At Prairie Creek Mine Site
Written Questions

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Lands.

Regarding the Prairie Creek Mine site, could the Minister inform me when the most recent third-party assessment of environmental liabilities was made, and:

Who conducted it?

What was the scope of this assessment (that is, what was included in the assessment)?

What was the amount of the liabilities estimated to exist?

Can the Minister table this report?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and I have another written question if I may?