This is page numbers 4771 - 4832 of the Hansard for the 19th 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 know.

Topics

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4815

Jenkins

Thank you, Madam Chair. So we do have a ten-year agreement with Canada, the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. There are a number of projects listed within that agreement in terms of no-show projects. But we still have to go back for each individual project, provide the information to Canada, including estimated costs and seek approval for each project. So the Whati transmission line would be a project that is listed no showing but it's not one for which we've formally applied and received approval from Canada, and we do not have a funding agreement for that project as of yet. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4815

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4815

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to repeat myself a couple times but, you know, what kind of happens when we do capital estimates is we have a confidential briefing note that gives you a bit of an update, and then we ask question like such as can someone give us an update of what's going on here. And I get there's a debate about the total amount and procurement; I have made that clear. But could the Department of Infrastructure perhaps look at making some sort of public kind of updating that goes with each capital plan. I just find it frustrating that I have to ask what's going on with Fort Simpson LNG when I didn't hear anything there that had to be confidential. It seems fine to publish where we are at with each project as we ask for more money, even if we're not going to say how much money were asking for. But at least some facts to be included with the capital plan, would that be something the department would be willing to look into? Thank you.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4815

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4815

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I hear the Member's concern about, you know, having information here and there. And it looks like we perhaps need to go back to the department and have more of a streamlined communication on a lot of our projects. And I really think that once we get our dashboard online, it will have a one area to be able to go and look at different projects and where they're at and I think that would be helpful. We're not there yet. We understand the frustration from the Member, and trying to work to get this done. So give us -- be patient with us, we'll get there. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4815

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4815

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Yeah, thank you. One last one which I will ask for an update of, because this is not public information. It says here that the Mackenzie Valley environmental assessment and planning for the highway will be completed in 2025-2026. We all know that that's been in environmental planning for far longer than any of us wanted. But I'm just wondering if that's realistic given what I've seen regarding the change in timelines for a number of sections of the road and the bridges that are currently under environmental assessment. Do we actually think we're going to get to the EA by 2025-2026; do we have any sort of update on that? Thank you.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4815

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4815

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, so that's our aim. We are looking at the Mackenzie Valley environmental assessment planning and to be able to look at the -- some of the work that's going forward, detailed environmental assessment planning work, the environmental baseline studies, traditional knowledge. There's a number of things. And I can go on. I probably should just let the Member know that work is progressing. We did receive some funding for some components on -- from the National Trade Corridors Fund. We have an MOU signed with the Sahtu Secretariat. We are discussing a MOU with the PKFN. We are anticipating our developers report to be submitted to the environmental review board by the end of this fiscal year and to get some of this work started. Some of the work that's planned for this year, however, is the submission of the developers assessment report, also to advance the project through environmental assessment. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4815

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Are there any further questions, comments under energy and strategic initiatives? Member for Nunakput.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

No. Just in regards to the -- to the Tuk M18 natural gas well and the support that I guess we're having a little bit of issues with the federal government pushing it into review when it was -- it's a 71A land from Tuk, people of Tuk. And it's our land claim and it's our -- basically our right. So where does your government sit on this in regards and what are they doing to assist the Inuvialuit Development Corporation or Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the community of Tuk in regards to this project and the holdup that we're having being pushed towards screening. Thank you.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, so we are -- the GNWT is supporting the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, and the partners, to be able to explore and develop the M18 natural gas well near Tuk and is a potential customer. And I think that's really important and key to know that we want this project going as much as we can, and I believe we continue to work with the Inuvialuit to support them in the plant. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Nunakput.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Chair. No, just in regards to Madam Minister that the GNWT do -- I guess did we talk to your federal counterparts in regards to seeing where they could go with this holdup in regards to put into screening? When it -- like, I'll argue again, I mean, it is a land claim and it's 71A lands. The people of Tuk own that land. And that land claim was signed in 1984. So why are they pushing it to screening and why is it going the way it's going when it shouldn't be with our federal government. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I hear the Member's concerns. You know, you look at the M18 well, this is -- I just want to note, like, the Department of Infrastructure's interest and the Northwest Territories Power Corporation interest is more of the customer side and looking at some of the conversions to be able to save us some work with the proponent on that. You know, right now, we don't really have much of a say to this. Maybe some other departments within GNWT -- and I'm seeing Minister of ITI nodding her head right now. So there are other departments involved. Right now we see it as part of Infrastructure more. We want to be a customer. We want to be able to have some conversion so that we can use the well to reduce some of our GHG. But all in all, Madam Chair, I really can't speak for the federal government in terms of them and their relationship with the Indigenous group. Thank you.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Nunakput.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

No, thank you, Madam Chair. Just in regards to -- I find a comment on that just, I guess we got to find a way in regards to seeing what the federal government's doing in regards to settled land claims holding up projects, putting it into screening. You know, it's -- if the Minister would I guess work with her colleagues and our Premier to take a look at that, to make sure that this -- this shouldn't be happening. And so if she could just commit to that. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm looking over at Cabinet and my colleagues over there, and I'm looking at Ministers shaking their head, and perhaps even Premier. This is something that, you know, we did talk about earlier about going to the feds with some of our priorities and just having discussions on where we're at with projects that we want to see going forward. So I mean, we will have that discussion within Cabinet. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Hay River South.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to get an idea of, I guess, where we are with the Fort Providence transmission line, you know, where we are in the process. We got a target completion, I think, by 2024-2025. Can the Minister just provide me a quick update on that. Thank you.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 4816

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Committee Motion 312-19(2): Bill 48: Arbitration Act - Deletion of Clause 77, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 25th, 2022

Page 4816

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, so looking at the transmission line, so we are conducting consultation engagement activities. We're doing the environmental studies, preparing a land use permit application. So I just want to note that to date we've had about 12 meetings held with Indigenous governments. 13 meetings have been held with stakeholders and some of the regulatory agencies. So the planned work that we have in this budget right now is to continue engagement consultation, submit our land use permit to be able to, yes, have those further discussions on pursuing this Fort Providence transmission line. Thank you.