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Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was know.
Historical Information Rylund Johnson is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly October 2023, as MLA for Yellowknife North

Won his last election, in 2019, with 36% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 10th, 2020

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess my question is: how does that align with other jurisdictions? I mean, if we're only collecting $55,000, and there are millions of litres of water being used every years, is it possible to increase that fee?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 10th, 2020

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, committee has received that information. I guess I'm trying to get a little more public information on this. Can I confirm that $55,000 is the total amount we have received for all industrial users to use water in the Northwest Territories?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 10th, 2020

Thank you, Madam Chair. I recognize that there is a rather complex way we licence water and use water, and I'm fully supportive of our co-management system. I guess what I'd be looking for from the Minister is kind of a jurisdiction scan of what other jurisdictions charge industrial users for using their water. Ultimately, I think, if you charge people for water, then it incentivizes them to use less water and adopt newer technologies that would put water at less risk of being contaminated. So, if the Minister could provide that information. Thank you.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 10th, 2020

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm trying to get a sense of what we charge industrial users for using water. If someone has a Type A water licence and they're going to be using millions of litres of water, what would we charge them? Where is that set out?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 10th, 2020

Sorry. I need a minute. You threw us off by changing the order.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 10th, 2020

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate that that process will continue, and I look forward to hearing more about piloting it for regulations, too, because there are a number of very important regulations that this department has. I guess my other concern is, in using this process, what happens is there is a very confidential and arduous co-drafting process, and then it comes to committee and, ultimately, through this House. As is the nature of public government, we can change whatever we want. I think that it can lead to some tension and some misunderstanding of who ultimately controls legislation in this process, so I was hoping the Minister could commit to, as that process is going on, providing regular updates to committee on the relevant issues in some of the places so that we don't just get a bill and not know what exactly has been extensively negotiated, so providing some of that, what is being discussed at the co-drafting table to committee.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 10th, 2020

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate that. Committee will reach out, and we will look forward to continuing to have those discussions. Especially ENR's legislation is at the heart of, really related to, Indigenous and Aboriginal rights. I was hoping the Minister could speak to the process we are going to use and whether all of these post-devolution kind of initiatives will be using a co-drafting process.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 10th, 2020

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess my next question, too, is: we as standing committee will be taking the Wildlife Act out on a legislative review; is the Department of ENR willing to provide assistance in that review that will be done by committee?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 10th, 2020

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess my next question is: work began on the Forest Act in the last Assembly. This department also is responsible for a number of the devolution pieces of legislation, the Waters Act, EPA, very significant pieces of legislation and work to be doing. Given the rush to get a bunch of legislation done in the last Assembly, I was just hoping the Minister could speak to what legislation we can expect to come forward in this Assembly and whether it's adequately funded in this budget, or should we expect to see a supplemental to make sure all of that very important legislation gets done?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 10th, 2020

Thank you, Madam Chair. Okay, so I guess I am confused. We have the Traditional Knowledge Policy, and can I get the clarification how this works? We also have a knowledge agenda action plan 2019-2024, which I believe is actually under EIA. Can I get some clarification on how the Traditional Knowledge Policy, the traditional knowledge implementation, and the knowledge agenda action plan work?