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Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was going.
Historical Information Wally Schumann is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly September 2019, as MLA for Hay River South

Lost his last election, in 2023, with 30% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Tabled Document 546-18(3): NWT Mineral Development Strategy Progress Report 2016-2019 August 23rd, 2019

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "NWT Mineral Development Strategy Progress Report 2016-2019." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 852-18(3): Small-Scale Hydroelectricity for Communities August 23rd, 2019

Clearly, what we have laid out in our 2030 Energy Strategy is how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the Northwest Territories. Part of that strategy is a T-line to Whati, no different than the T-line from Hay River to Fort Providence and Kakisa.

We will have to continue to look at ways to grow our economy in the Northwest Territories and, at the same time, honour our commitment to the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth. This is what we have come forward with. We went out and reached out to all of the communities when we did our Energy Strategy, and this is one of our plans going forward to be able to accommodate and meet our obligations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 852-18(3): Small-Scale Hydroelectricity for Communities August 23rd, 2019

I think I have to clarify here. Maybe the department has done it; I just said that I don't have that level of detail in front of me. We can certainly have a look and check with the department if they have done that cost analysis. As I have said, we believe in the short term to join the Whati to the Snare system through our transmission line, and once potential growth in the region and industrial development happens, the Whati would certainly feed into that growth and help stabilize the North Slave grid.

Question 852-18(3): Small-Scale Hydroelectricity for Communities August 23rd, 2019

I don't have that detail in front of me, but what I can tell you about this project is that, if we connect the transmission line to Whati, we're going to eliminate 475,000 litres of diesel fuel annually. We have to look at this situation. Maybe the Member is not well aware, but what he's not thinking about in the short term is joining this transmission line to the community of Whati. The long-term goal, if the Tlicho Government and the Government of the Northwest Territories decide to go ahead with the Lac La Martre project, which I would assume would be at some point for future growth and supply and help resiliency in the North Slave, the line would help look after that.

Question 852-18(3): Small-Scale Hydroelectricity for Communities August 23rd, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I'm well aware of these projects. These were led by the Tlicho Government. Costing goes back as far as 2009, and these things would have to be re-costed to present-day costs to compare it to what the present line that we are proposing in our energy strategy to connect Whati, which we haven't defined, as we discussed in this House yesterday. I can't compare the costs.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery August 23rd, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize today in the House Marny Twigge and Heather Coakwell for their continued work with NWT Elections and the coming up elections. I would like to welcome Mrs. Trentor to the House today, as well. Nice to see you, Mrs. Trentor.

I didn't do any closing Minister's or Member's statement, but I want to take one second to thank everybody for the last four years. I think, most importantly for me, I want to thank the Premier. This has been a tough four years, and he's been a mentor to me, and he's done us an honour serving us for the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Premier.

---Applause

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters August 22nd, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The scope of work that is proposed for this project is installation of a series of rock-filled bench drains underneath the existing runway embankment, control site drainage, and stabilize problematic areas. This will require excavation of the runway embankment to natural ground installation of bench drains and backfill and compacting the excavation materials to finish grade. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters August 22nd, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I said, we don't know the exact size of the line, yet. That has to be determined by our engagement in our pre-feasibility work, but I suspect we want to build this thing to not only supply the community of Whati and get them off diesel to lower our GHG emissions as part of our strategy going forward, but we also have to take a realistic look at the potential economic development in that region, and we will have to build in some capacity, I believe, to support some of those initiatives going forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters August 22nd, 2019

The capacity of the power line? Wow, you are asking for some serious detail, here. What I will read out here is what I have. The design and construction of the new transmission line from the Snare hydro system to the community of Whati, the transmission line starts from the Snare port substation and spans 60 kilometres to bring hydroelectricity to Whati, where generation is currently supplied from diesel. In 2021, $5 million work was for the pre-feasibility work to include ground-proofing and transmission-line routing, environmental baseline studies, engineering, and regional engagement and consultation. So I suspect we don't even know the exact size of that line based on that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters August 22nd, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Chair. From 2014-2019, we actually did embankment and surface improvements, drainage improvements. They have been completed. We spent $728,000 doing that. In 2019-2020, we worked with Jean Marie and did additional embankment and surface improvement for $310,000. So we continue to work with the communities and, as funds become available, we will continue to work with them. Thank you, Mr. Chair.