Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we have missed anyone in the gallery, welcome to the Chamber. I hope everyone is enjoying our proceedings. It's always nice to have an audience. Masi. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke earlier today about the rising cost of carbon and the need for us to establish a plan that is made in the North. My questions are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I would like to ask the Minister to explain how is the GNWT working with other territories to develop an approach to carbon pricing that works for Northerners? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We work very closely with our Northern counterparts because the carbon pricing mechanism that Ottawa came up with is going to have an effect on the three territories. We managed to get it into the architecture document that is going to be considered by the first ministers at their upcoming meeting and we also made it quite clear to our counterparts and the federal minister the effect that proposed carbon pricing is going to have on the Northwest Territories. They've committed to recognizing the uniqueness of the Northwest Territories as they move forward.

Thank you to the Minister for his reply. Can the Minister tell us what the GNWT is doing to reach out to our residents to communicate with them about climate change and the potential for a forthcoming carbon tax?

We recognize that the proposed carbon pricing is going to have an effect on people across the Northwest Territories. Having said that, we are going to undertake our regional public engagements this fall to inform the development of both the new energy strategy, get some feedback from residents, and I believe it's starting on October 25th and 26th. There will be a schedule that would be made public, if it's not already. Also we have an on-line survey on the Department of ENR's website to get some public feedback. But we are having five regional workshops, regional public engagements, and we will make the dates known.

I appreciate the reply from the Minister, and I also appreciate that the Minister has indicated that there is ongoing communication going on with the federal government with regard to the potential for some mechanism for carbon pricing or carbon tax. So I just wonder if the Minister can elaborate. Has Ottawa given any detail about the model that it plans to put in place if we don't have our own?

No, they haven't. They do have a technical team that's coming to the Northwest Territories within the next couple of weeks to meet with our technical folks to have some discussion, and as I stated earlier they have said to us that they recognize the uniqueness of the Northwest Territories and they will take that into consideration. As far as a mechanism, though, they are going to meet with our folks. Once they have some discussions with them and then we have our public engagement, then we will see what the pricing mechanism may look like.

Thank you to the Minister for his reply. This will be my final question. Would the GNWT, if in fact we have to consider a carbon pricing, would the GNWT consider a carbon pricing approach that would reinvest revenues into renewable energy technology?

The federal government has given an indication that any carbon pricing mechanism used, the money would actually stay in the jurisdiction where it is generated. So there could be opportunities there for some investment in infrastructure, and in our meetings with the federal minister we talked about the fact that we have 22 of our 33 communities on diesel. We need to get them off diesel. There are opportunities there for some federal investments through the green infrastructure and any other pots of money that we may be able to access to help us reduce our emissions. So we are looking at all options, and I can guarantee to this House and to the public that's listening, whatever option that we can get for the Northwest Territories that's going to benefit the Northwest Territories, we will go after. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I talked about the growing problem of poor communications between Cabinet and Regular MLAs. My questions are for the Minister of the Executive. Does the Minister agree that there were several significant breaches of the process convention on communications between the Executive Council Ministers, standing committees and Regular Members this past summer, as outlined in my Member's statement?

Masi. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wouldn't go so far as to characterize it as serious breaches. I would just talk about the four instances that the Member raised on the Robertson headframe with Newmont. The proponent wrote to all the Yellowknife MLAs indicating that he had talked to our government. I do have e-mails from the four Yellowknife MLAs outlining their positions with regards to the Roberston headframe. So for him to say that it's a complete surprise that we were talking about the Robertson headframe, I guess he considers that as very serious. Perhaps we should have communicated directly with the Chair rather than asking the proponent to also bring it to their attention.

On the carbon tax, it's a question of interpretation. If I was totally against it, why would we agree in Montreal that there are different ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and we are open to that? I raised the concerns that we have, not only ourselves, but the three territories, that a carbon tax, we already live in a very high-cost environment, and to add increased costs, you know, we were the only jurisdiction in Canada whose population was declining on an annual basis, and to add to the cost-of-living would only exacerbate that.

Also that our economy is still developing and also we're concerned about food security, recognizing that we were going to develop our own greenhouse gas strategy which we're rolling out now. On the Mackenzie, well I don't live in a perfect world, we have people that make mistakes. I wasn't aware that somebody was going to talk about Mackenzie Highway. My understanding is the federal government is still looking at the Mackenzie Highway.On the Yellowknife Airport, we exchanged correspondence. We had requested to do a briefing on a number of occasions, had been refused, and the media briefing was only provided at the request of the media and we only presented information that was already shared with committee. We will continue to endeavour to work to make sure that we communicate with all of the committees, as appropriate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the response from the Minister, but we obviously disagree on communications. I'd like to know, can the Minister tell us whether the current executive has accepted and abides by the process convention on communications between the Executive Council, Ministers, standing committees and Regular Members that he signed on September 8, 2014?

That protocol is in the process of being renegotiated. It'll be rolled out very shortly, and we stand by it. Communications is a standing item of all of our cabinet meetings of every decision paper and we will continue to endeavour to fulfill those commitments that we've committed.

Can the Minister tell this House what the consequences of are for breaching the process convention on communications between Executive Council, Ministers, standing committees and Regular Members?

The consequences are obviously it deteriorates the relationship we have with the Standing Committees, and so we endeavour to not have that happen. We follow-up and work very closely with all of the ministers and all of the departments. Certainly, deputy ministers are held to account for work that is being done by their departments, but certainly it's something that we are endeavoured to improve upon on every occasion.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Well, we could probably go on and debate this for quite some time, but clearly when I continue to find out things that are going on through the media there's a problem. But I'd like to know from the Minister, what is he prepared to do to prevent poor communications from happening again and again? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I don't see it happening again and again, but it's something, as I say, it's a constant process, we discuss it all the time. Every issue, every decision paper, every information item dealing, responding to the media, we endeavour to make sure that committees, especially the chairs of the appropriate committee and the MLAs are made aware of it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Mr. Speaker, a study for the Fort Simpson Health Centre was introduced in the 20-year needs assessment, targeted over the 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016. On February 5, 2015 according to then Minister of Health and Social Services, the study was delayed so that the department can complete a plan study for the Norman Wells Health Centre replacement. Will the Minister confirm that the study for the Fort Simpson Health Centre will be completed by this fiscal year? Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.