This is page numbers 3441 - 3480 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 work.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we have a pot of money called the community initiatives fund. And what we ask communities to do is create their own wellness plan to identify the things they need in their community in order to be well and to be healthy. These wellness plans are on the Department of Health and Social Services website. They're funded annually. The funding can be carried over. The plans also are evergreen plans, meaning that they can change over time to meet the needs of the communities. And this year, we are going through an exercise where we are reaching out to each of the communities to have them assess their plan, whether it's working and if not, how it can be changed. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Final supplementary, Member for Monfwi.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you. Does the GNWT have a specific and unique plan to address housing, crime, education, mental health, and addictions in my regions, in Tlicho regions? Thank you.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm not aware of a whole-of-government approach which would take in all the subject areas the Member mentioned, and we don't have a specific Tlicho plan. As a territorial department, we provide programs and services for the whole territory. We have quite a number of funds that are available by application from communities and Indigenous groups such as the on-the-land healing fund, peer support, addictions and aftercare, suicide prevention, and so on. So there are a number of ways that communities can build up their own resources by making applications to these specific funds. And then in addition to that, of course, we spend the better part of our $600 million budget on healthcare that is for everyone. So that would include the health centres in the Member's communities as well as Stanton Hospital, the counselling programs I referenced earlier, specialist services, all the different components of health. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Question 924-19(2): Alberta Tar Sands Tailings
Oral Questions

February 23rd, 2022

Page 3458

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madam la Presidente. My questions are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources about the development of regulations for discharges from the Alberta tar sands.

I understand that Alberta has begun ecological and human health risk assessment work downstream of potential discharge points. Can the Minister tell us what involvement, if any, this government has had in this risk assessment work and whether it includes impacts into the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister for Environment and Natural Resources.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it is my understanding that human health and ecological risk assessments are one of the six knowledge gaps that the Alberta government is working on. My understanding, in reaching out to the Alberta government, is Alberta has retained an independent consultant to complete the work to fill this information gap. Once the report is completed, then it's going to be given to the GNWT and then the GNWT, the department and the ones who we -- the consultants we've retained, will be looking at it and assessing it as in looking at the findings.

Madam Speaker, I want to make sure that people understand the department has made it very clear to Alberta and the federal government that any plans to release treated oil sand water to surface water must ensure the ecological integrity of water in the NWT is maintained. And we've been very clear in my communications with both the federal minister and the Alberta Minister. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that. I'm not sure he actually answered my question. So I'll try it a different way here.

So one of the most important pieces of work that's going to be done is considering any potential discharges and the impacts of the tar sands tailings, and that usually involves modeling of contaminants downstream. So can the Minister tell us if any of this modeling work has been done and whether it includes the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Government of Alberta is focusing on impacts immediately downstream from the oil sands region to the Old Fort. Their assessment and modeling does not extend into the NWT. Based on the outcome from the risk assessment on initial model, they will consider extending their model to the Peace-Athabasca delta. The GNWT will request further modeling if the results are of a concern for us. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that. If I was worried before, now I'm even more worried that this modeling doesn't even go into the Northwest Territories. So if it doesn't cover the Northwest Territories, I'd like to know more from the Minister what he's going to do about this? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, as I've said to the Member and the House here, we are -- the Alberta government is working on theirs; we then are going to reassess it, and if we have concerns we will go from there. We are working with the Alberta government. We are reaching out to them, telling them our concerns. We're working with Indigenous governments to identify these. So we are working on this. This is a file that may not be out in the public. It may not be splashed all over the papers as people would like. We are doing the work behind the scenes with the Indigenous governments, keeping them informed. And once we are able to be able to achieve things and -- or we have concerns, we will make sure we get the committee informed, because right now we don't have information beyond that we are working with the Alberta government. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that. I'm not asking him to splash it all across the newspapers, but the only information I've got from this Minister, from this government, is what I get in the House about this issue. That is totally unacceptable.

What I want from this Minister is to start sharing what they're doing behind closed doors with this side of the House. So as the "polluter pays principle" says, you know, the Northwest Territories should not have to spend our resources to understand what the impacts may be from the tar sands. Can the Minister tell us what he is doing to recover our costs from the Alberta and/or federal government? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we're working as best we can with the Member. We're trying to get that information. He may not want it -- he may want it -- details down to the ground. We don't have that information right now to share. We're willing to share that information.

In regards to his question, ENR is working on our bilateral water management agreement and its bilateral management committee to get regular updates, reports, and information, etcetera, from the Alberta government. Alberta has assured the NWT that it has retained a team of highly qualified independent experts to fill the gap, the knowledge gap, and they will share their reports and findings. ENR is and will continue to do its due diligence to ensure NWT waters and our residents are protected.

Madam Speaker, we are working for the residents. Once we have something concrete to share with committee, we will do that. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Final supplementary, Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that.

You know, I keep asking questions of this Minister, now two days in a row, because I'm not getting any other information. So will this Minister now commit to finally start to share some of what's going on behind closed doors with this side of the House on this issue? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we're going to share, when we have concrete information, with committee. We're more than willing to do that. The Member has reached out to us. We've had private individual meetings with him. We have meetings with committee. If committee wants to have a technical or an in-camera briefing on this, please send it to us. We're more than willing to work with them on that. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Members, time is up for oral questions. Oral questions. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Replies to Commissioner's address. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Tabling of documents. Honourable Premier.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: The Annual Status Report on the Progress of the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2019-2023. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Tabling of documents. Minister for ECE.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: Yellowknife Catholic Schools 2021-2022 Capital Plan Amended. And the Yellowknife Education District No. 1 2021-2022 Capital Plan Amended. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Tabling of documents. Notice of motion. Motions. Notice of motion for first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole on bills and other matters. Bill 23 - An Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act; Bill 29 - Resource Royalty Information Disclosure Statute Amendment Act; Bill 38 - Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act 2021; Tabled Document 561-19(2) 2022-2023 Main Estimates, with Member for Deh Cho in the chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole On Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole On Bills And Other Matters

Page 3460

The Chair

The Chair Ronald Bonnetrouge

We now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole On Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole On Bills And Other Matters

Page 3460

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Committee would like to consider Tabled Document 561-19(2) Main Estimates 2022-2023 and Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole On Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole On Bills And Other Matters

Page 3460

The Chair

The Chair Ronald Bonnetrouge

Mahsi, Member. Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and resume with the first item. Mahsi.

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