Kevin O'Reilly

Legislative Assembly photo

Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was thanks.
Historical Information Kevin O'Reilly is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly October 2023, as MLA for Frame Lake

Won his last election, in 2019, with 51% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Environmental Management System March 1st, 2016

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to promote and praise our integrated environmental management system in the Northwest Territories. This system is the result of hard-fought, constitutionally protected land rights agreements negotiated by Aboriginal governments. Some parts of the Northwest Territories now have legally binding land use plans, environmental assessments, land and water management, cumulative impact monitoring, and environmental audit functions in place. These components work together to protect our land and water, ensure we benefit from resource development, and allow people to have a meaningful say in decisions. Our system is the envy of many around the world searching for ways to build sustainability and use traditional knowledge. If there are problems with our so-called regulatory regime, these stem from chronic underfunding, a failure to properly implement the components as originally negotiated and legislated, and attempts to circumvent and undermine it. The mining industry continues to complain about our environmental management system due to perceived uncertainty. Mr. Speaker, if you want to see uncertainty, go to the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario where there was a development free-for-all with no inspections, no consultations with local communities, and at the end of the day no mines. Our co-management boards have been working together for years, and since 2008, through a number of standard procedures and consistency working groups to develop guidance on application forms, community engagement, water use policies, and more. This work has not received the recognition it deserves from this government or the mining industry. Attempts to unilaterally change the system have resulted in legal action. The legitimate and legislated way to improve our environmental management system is through the five-year Northwest Territories environmental audit. I look forward to the 2015 audit to be released soon, and to the response from GNWT that is to form part of that report. This will be the first time our government has actually responded to the audit. I would like to hear our mining industry and this government begin to promote our world-class environmental management system. The continued negative messaging around our system is driving away potential exploration and development. Environmental management is not a barrier to development. It is the foundation of certainty of investment and stewardship of the land. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. ---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to my colleagues. One of the unfinished pieces of business with our environmental management system is the absence of participant funding, something available to all Canadians south of 60 in terms of federal environmental assessment. Later today, I will have questions for the Minister of Lands. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters February 29th, 2016

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate the assurance then that the Minster has provided, that there's no changes or cuts that are being proposed to energy efficiency and conservation programs from the department. Maybe just one general comment if I may, that next time we have interim appropriations, which may not be for another four years, past my life, or all of our collective lives, that if there are significant variations that fall below the 25 per cent, it would be helpful to get those explanations provided to committee. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters February 29th, 2016

I appreciate the response from the Minister. I'm not sure I got an answer, though. I guess I'm seeking some assurance that this is a business-as-usual interim appropriation for the first quarter, and that it doesn't reflect any cuts or changes to programs that are offered through Arctic Energy Alliance or energy conservation initiatives that we would do ourselves in-house. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters February 29th, 2016

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess what I'm trying to sort out here is that we're not looking at making any cuts to energy conservation, energy efficiency programs that are offered through Arctic Energy Alliance or even our own internal programs for energy efficiency within the government in the first quarter. I just want to get that assurance from the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters February 29th, 2016

Thanks, Mr. Chair. There's a lot of eager beavers here today.

---Laughter

While we're on this department, I just want to ask about the first quarter funding for energy solutions, which I believe also includes Arctic Energy Alliance and our own work as a government on energy conservation, energy efficiencies, and so on. I'm just wondering what rough portion we're looking at spending in the first quarter of 2016-2017. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters February 29th, 2016

Thanks, and I want to thank the Minister for his response and I would encourage the department that when they do reach out to talk to the mineral industry about these guidelines that they be inclusive and include other interests including Aboriginal governments, environmental organizations, and so on. Thank you. I look forward to getting the information from the Minister.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters February 29th, 2016

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thanks to the Minister for that response. Presumably, though, we're looking at engaging folks beyond just the university. We're talking, presumably, the mining industry, environmental organizations, Aboriginal governments, the co-management bodies. All of those would be part of consultations that will take place regarding these guidelines as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters February 29th, 2016

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'm just wondering who the department intends to engage with in developing those guidelines. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters February 29th, 2016

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's good to hear, and I thank the Minister for his response. I just want to confirm that there's also funding in the first quarter for work to be done on the guidelines of the Minister mentioned in the House, if that wasn’t earlier this week it was last week. I believe that the department is preparing some guidelines. Is there funding in the first quarter for some work on the guidelines? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters February 29th, 2016

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to follow up on a couple of areas here that I've raised in the House around the Liabilities and Financial Assurances Division that's located in the Department of Lands. I just want to get some assurance from the Minister that there is funding in the first quarter of 2016-2017 to continue the current staff complement in that division. Thanks, Mr. Chair.