Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee defer further consideration of the department summary for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ main estimates, 2013-2014, on page 13-7 at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks for the comments and commitments from the Minister there. Obviously there are some real linkages with Municipal and Community Affairs here. The savings in landfill costs is in the $100,000 range. Organics, I believe, are often in the order of 25 or greater percent of the waste stream. Here is another opportunity for cooperation: the possible examination of helping communities set up organics drop-off points at the landfills.

Will the Minister commit to gathering the information I’ve requested from his staff and then consulting with the MACA Minister on possible opportunities and...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I really just have one general comment for this sort of activity. It is about six or eight pages long. I did a little survey and found that the majority of projects we’ve listed with the federal government are ending or dropping significantly in funding. There are zero new programs planned. Seven of them are being maintained. There are about 16 or 18 of these. One is actually increasing in funding, but zero new programs and it just seems like, looking at the numbers, we typically do add programs. I’m wondering, will we be entering into new agreements later in the fiscal...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement with questions for the Minister of ITI. In my statement I talked about the recognition success that Yellowknife has achieved on composting in partnership with Ecology North. While a project such as the Yellowknife central composting facility may be beyond the scale of our smaller communities, there are valuable lessons to be learned here. One Ecology North staff active in this project is from Hay River. Ecology North has been a prime mover in the local community garden effort. I’d like to ask the Minister if he can tell...

Thanks for those comments from the Minister. On the environmental assessment monitoring side where we do screenings and then the higher level environmental assessments and environmental impact reviews, these are real opportunities to put conditions on projects. What sort of conditions are we pursuing in the order of greenhouse gas emissions to work towards the obvious need to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It’s very good to know that work is proceeding in the area of the fungi, and I appreciate that and I appreciate the update.

In terms of the sustainable yield aspects, I think it’s well known how we do our harvesting of biomass can affect the structure of the forest and the ecology of the forest and what stage the forest is at; an earlier pioneering stage or a mature stage. Boreal caribou are known to have pretty sensitive habitat requirements. I’m wondering, are we looking into or are we ensuring, Boreal caribou being a threatened species in the Northwest Territories, are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks for all of the representatives in the House today that spoke and shared their perspectives. I kind of disagree with the recent comment that this is not the way things should be done. I think this is the way things should be done. We should be bringing these things into the House and debating them and casting our votes. I very much appreciate this democratic approach.

Many have raised the point that this is a democracy. A fundamental issue that, of course, causes these sorts of dilemmas is when we don’t follow a democratic process.

All of the changes addressed in...

WHEREAS the Government of Canada has enacted major revisions to a number of environmental protection laws, including the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the Fisheries Act, the Navigable Waters Act and the Species at Risk Act, through its two omnibus budget implementation bills, Bill C-38 and Bill C-45;

AND WHEREAS a vigorous environmental management regime is essential for the protection of our vulnerable northern ecosystems, for citizens’ participation in the management of our natural heritage, and for protection of Aboriginal rights and fulfillment of the constitutional duties to...

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize my lovely wife, Marianne Bromley, who is in the gallery today sitting beside my very faithful constituency assistant, Craig Yeo. Both are residents of Weledeh. Also, sitting behind them is Amanda Mallon, a resident of Weledeh. I believe there are some folks from the Dene Nation here: Camilla Zoe-Chocolate and her niece Lisa were here earlier. I think they’re still in the audience there. I can’t see anybody else behind me, but thanks for that opportunity. I appreciate their presence.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks again to the Minister. Yes, with 30-some students in second year, I think this fall would be a great target for the Minister.

The Minister announced the review of the implementation of the reorganization and so on with our Aurora College. It is just about to get off the ground. Will the Minister include consultation with students on their priorities and perspectives when he is doing a review of this reorganization? Thank you.