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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

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have committed some cap funding and worked with the community on what they are doing with their access road, particularly around that Nun Hill situation and the burn area that was rough for a number farmers. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Member's question is kind of vague. Is he trying to build the whole thing, or for the Government of the Northwest Territories, what we're doing to work with these people? Back to the Nahanni Butte access road, we were working very closely with the community with them on capital improvements through the federal GNWT funding arrangements highlighted above. The department is also working with the private sector, the community, the Mine Training Society, and Aurora College to implement the heavy equipment operation training program this year.

The department will be committing approximately 10,000 cubic metres of granular material and assisting with the supervision of construction throughout the training portion through this partnership, widening, corner realignment, construction, multi-pullouts to help facilitate the increased traffic expected on the winter road, building community capacity and improve the condition of the access road, and the Mine Training Society, NorZink, Beaver Enterprises, and the community are working together to cover the costs, such as fuels, instructors' costs, and wages for training. So we are doing a significant amount with the community of Nahanni Butte on their access road, and the Member has already commented on what Sambaa K'e is doing.

The biggest thing, I think, to remember in this conversation is part of our 20-, 25-year transportation strategy. These things were not identified as priorities when we went out and consulted with the residents of the Northwest Territories, but we continued to work with both Aboriginal groups and these communities to help develop these access roads. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm just trying to find it here. Community access road.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the 2020-2021 plan for chipseal is approximately 200 kilometres of chipseal in Highways No. 1, 6, and 4, and Detah access road. That's the amount of detail I have in front of me. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Prelude Lake boat launch replacement carry-over was a change in scope being developed. Construction to commence in fall when boat launch is not in use. Could be tendered by mid-August, so I suspect that's already out for tender right now, Mr. Chair.

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

Prosperous Lake boat launch. Prosperous Lake is in progress. Planning, design work is included; however, the project was tendered but bid prices were too high in 2018-2019. Infrastructure is working with engineering to reduce scope of work and to delete excess requirements from the design. I forget what his other one was, Mr. Chair.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I suspect, in working with the communities and Indigenous governments, that that will be like our other parks that are operated and maintained by contractors. It would be used by the contractor during the summer seasons. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Tabled Document 535-18(3): Energy Initiatives Report 2018-19 Tabled Document 536-18(3): 2030 Energy Strategy / Energy Action Plan Report, August 2019 August 22nd, 2019

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents entitled "Energy Initiatives Report 2018-19"; and "2030 Energy Strategy / Energy Action Plan Report, August 2019." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister's Statement 243-18(3): Update on Taltson Hydro and Other Energy Initiatives August 22nd, 2019

Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of the 18th Legislative Assembly, our government committed to explore options for renewable and alternative energy sources and to improve our energy conservation efforts. The 2030 Energy Strategy was released in 2018 to provide a long-term vision for energy use and supply in the Northwest Territories. We began implementing the six strategic objectives outlined in the energy strategy last year through initiatives detailed in a three-year Energy Action Plan.

Today, Mr. Speaker, I will provide an update on our government's progress to advance the six objectives of the energy strategy, which will help build an energy system that contributes to the territory's economic, social, and environmental well-being while doing our part in the transition to a lower economy.

The first objective of the strategy is working together to find energy solutions through community engagement, participation, and empowerment. Our government, along with the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, has engaged with many communities on a range of energy projects.

One example is the partnership between the Tulita Land Corporation and Northwest Territories Power Corporation to support a 40-kilowatt solar panel project that will allow the own and operation by the community to reduce the use of diesel in the community. This project shows how communities can lead the way in creating local energy solutions.

Mr. Speaker, the Energy Strategy's second objective involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation in diesel communities. After securing up to $30 million from the federal government, the Government of the Northwest Territories is in the final stages of the regulatory process for the Inuvik wind project, which will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the NWT's largest diesel community.

We also secured $15 million in federal funding for a new and more effective generator in Sachs Harbour that will use less diesel and allow for the incorporation of wind power. This generator will be almost 20 percent more efficient than the old one and save about 50,000 liters per year of diesel. The Government of the Northwest Territories has also erected a wind-monitoring tower in Norman Wells and continues to collect wind data in Sachs Harbour and Snare Rapids. Yet another example is the Government of the Northwest Territories monitoring a water-gauge station at Gameti to assess the potential for a mini-hydro project in the community.

The energy strategy's third objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. This is a particular challenge in our northern environment. Our government is currently conducting energy-efficiency retrofits on a Marine Transportation Services tug through funding provided by the federal Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund, or LCELF. This retrofit will reduce yearly greenhouse gas emission by over 800 tonnes or about 286,000 litres per year of diesel.

Mr. Speaker, the fourth and fifth objectives of the Energy Strategy involve increasing renewable energy used for community heating and increasing commercial building energy efficiency. The Government of the Northwest Territories secured over $7 million from the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund and contributed an additional $2 million over the next four years to provide the Arctic Energy Alliance with new funding to expand rebates, programs, and services. Combined, this additional investment will result in an ongoing reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of 2,000 tonnes per year.

Through LCELF funding, our government launched the buildings and industry stream of the greenhouse gas grant program this past spring, providing over $2.5 million a year for industry, businesses, and building owners to make energy-efficiency upgrades such as LED lighting and biomass heating.

The Energy Strategy's sixth and final objective is to have a long-term vision for the Northwest Territories' energy systems when developing our energy potential, addressing industry emissions, and doing our part to meet our national and international climate change objectives. Last year, we secured over $10 million from the federal government to upgrade the Snare Forks hydroelectric facility, which will reduce pressure on electricity rates. We also secured $2 million in federal funding to expand the Taltson Hydroelectric System, with a commitment in the 2019 federal budget for an additional $18 million over the next three years.

Connecting the North and South Slave electrical systems would allow the resource sector to access clean, affordable energy and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It would also help to stabilize the cost of living and of doing business in the Northwest Territories. Our government is currently examining the feasibility of transmission options crossing Great Slave Lake, and is working with our Indigenous partners to define the project structure, business case, and future field work.

Later today, Mr. Speaker, I will table the Government of the Northwest Territories' Energy Action Plan Update, which summarizes what we accomplished in 2018-2019 and describes in more detail energy initiatives planned for the next three years. I will also table the Energy Initiatives Report, which presents a high-level review of the Northwest Territories' current energy landscape, provides the Government of the Northwest Territories' energy expenditures and greenhouse gas reductions, and showcases many of last year's energy initiatives. Together, these documents demonstrate our innovative approach to developing energy systems that will grow and diversify our economy while reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels.

Mr. Speaker, these successes demonstrate the Government of the Northwest Territories' ongoing efforts to maintain strong partnerships with the Government of Canada as we continue to work toward enabling the Northwest Territories to transition to a strong, healthy economy that is less dependent on fossil fuels. These investments set the stage to achieve the strategic objectives I outlined today and, in turn, meet our goals to transition the Northwest Territories to a lower carbon economy, and build an energy system that will provide a secure, affordable, and sustainable energy for the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker

Bill 34: Mineral Resources Act August 21st, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not going to get into all the particulars of what the Members like and don't like about this bill. We've had those discussions over the last few weeks in great depth. I took the unprecedented move; I went in front of committee, myself and my staff, for six hours to discuss this thing to try to work things out and bring clarity to the Members.

As the previous speaker just said, we had the unprecedented amount of time that we spent in front of the clause-by-clause review with the public and what we spent here last night in this House. I have always said from day one, and I will repeat it again today, and I've said it to industry, I've said it to Indigenous governments, and I've said it to you guys: not everybody is going to be happy with this bill. This is very complex, probably the most important bill since devolution in 2014, and I think, even with our differences, with all Members across the floor, 11 of you, we are at a place where we've brought this thing forward and we're going to do a vote on third motion here today, and I believe this act is in the best interest of the people of the Northwest Territories.

Certainly, I can stand here and say maybe I'm not happy with certain sections, myself, and I will say that, but this is a big piece of legislation for the people of the Northwest Territories, and this is very important to us. This is the biggest part of our economy. This bill is based around investor confidence; it's based around Indigenous participation; and it's based on public input and the benefits that they are going to generate from this thing.

Yes, we've had some big differences, but as I've said, we've put those aside and we have worked very, very hard on this. I'm not complaining about being here until 11 or 12 o'clock at night. That doesn't bother me. That's what we're here to do; we're here to work. I'm not going to sit here and complain about it. It doesn't bother me that we spent this much time on it. That's what we need to do. This is a very important piece of legislation.

Even for the Members who aren't happy with it and who aren't going to support it, your input was input and made some significant changes. People do not talk about it; not one person over there has talked about 40 amendments that you guys made to this bill to make it better. Forty. That's a significant contribution to this bill, not the 32.

The other thing that I don't like about the conversation in the closing arguments today is comparing it to the Corrections Act. That is not even the same thing. That's not even close. This is a devolution bill on lands and resources that involves Indigenous governments in a serious way. So I can stand here and say Cabinet is very supportive of this bill, and a number of people on that side, and I think we're doing the right things for the residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.