Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So, the water use fees, is that something that we would be looking at revising in the review of the Waters Act? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

I would like to thank the Minister for that explanation. I suggest that he put it in the final version. It is a good start, but it doesn't really explain this patchwork approach, and I think we need to have a consistent one.

I also mentioned in my statement that the NWT Power Corporation is not even mentioned in the draft strategy. I had expected to see something for the corporation along the lines of the corporation doing itself out of a job by building energy self-reliance. Instead, we have a straitjacket approach to community-owned renewable generation that gives utilities a veto. Can the...

Yes, I remain concerned about this. A $50,000 cut just seems to be a convenient number for the fiscal reduction targets, so we will just leave it at that, but, once again, I do not see any real rationale for this cut because I do not think there is a reduced level of work or activity.

I want to follow up on some remarks made by my colleague the MLA from Nahendeh about moving the water inspectors to Lands. I know I had questions for the Minister of Lands about this. To me, it would make much or sense to have the Lands inspectors moved into ENR. ENR does the wildlife inspections. You do other...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Could the Minister provide some detail, then, on what that work is going to be? Part of the issue here is there is this agricultural strategy implementation funding that is sprinkled across a whole bunch of departments, and I am not sure how it is being coordinated. What is this funding going to accomplish? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Okay, thanks, Mr. Chair. So I think this is the section of the department where water use fees would be found. These would be fees that are paid under water licences. Is that correct, Mr. Chair? Thank you.

Merci, Monsieur le President. Earlier today I discussed the draft NWT Energy Strategy. Public comments closed on the draft on January 3, 2018. We do not have a "what we heard" report, and no indication of what the next steps are going to be. Can the Minister of Infrastructure tell us what the next steps are for the NWT Energy Strategy and the target dates for these steps? Masi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So what is the total contracting budget, then, for water regulatory? If it is reduced by $50,000, what is left? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I don't want to turn this into a big debate. I started off my remarks complimenting the hard-working staff in this department; there are just not enough of them to get the job done. That is my point here. I haven't really received much to make me any more confident that anything is going to change in 2018-2019 with this department. Look, I support the work that they are trying to do. They just don't have enough money to get it done.

I don't have any further questions for the Minister on this part, other than to try to encourage him to get his department more resources to...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Has the department thought about whether there's any value in having an MOU that sets out rules and responsibilities with regards to the staffing arrangements? Has there been any consideration of an MOU or some kind of an agreement that would set out roles and responsibilities more clearly than an annual contribution agreement? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Merci, Monsieur le President. One of the commitments made in the mandate of the 18th Assembly was to create a Northwest Territories Energy Strategy because the previous one expired in 2015. A draft NWT Energy Strategy was finally released to the public on September 25, 2017. It would be fair to say that very few of the standing committee's comments were incorporated into the draft.

The strategy proposes a confusing array of energy targets as follows:

A 25 per cent reduction of GHG emissions from electricity generation;

A 10 per cent reduction of GHG emissions from road vehicles;

A 40 per cent...