Kevin O'Reilly

Merci, Monsieur le President. I spoke earlier today about Giant Mine Oversight Board's recent report and public meeting. I'd like to follow up with the Minister of Environment on some of those issues. For many years, Yellowknives Dene First Nation elders and others in this community have called for an apology and compensation for the impacts of the Giant Mine. The board has taken this up in recommending a federal response to the calls for an apology and compensation. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to know from the Minister what is the position of our government on the issue of an apology and...

Merci, Mr. Speaker. Just to make it crystal clear, we were not informed of the offer. We have not seen it. We have not seen the offers to the Metis Nation or to the Dehcho First Nations, so I am just wondering: can the Minister commit to provide this information, these letters, to Regular MLAs on a confidential basis so we can actually find out what our government is negotiating? Merci, Mr. Speaker.

Is it fair to say, then, that the Regular MLAs were not informed? We haven't seen these offers, the letter. We weren't informed or involved in the preparation of them before they were delivered to the appropriate Aboriginal governments earlier this week.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Again, I'd like to thank the Minister for recognizing that there was an issue and that there are some steps being taken to better coordinate a response. During the public meeting last week, though, people were glad to see that there is going to be a human health monitoring program for the Giant Mine remediation project, but people also want to make sure that there's going to be a look at health impacts, so I want to ask the Minister: as the lead department on the Giant Mine remediation, can the Minister tell us about what our government involvement is in the human health...

I'd like to thank the Minister for his response, and I would welcome the opportunity to have this House work with Regular MLAs to develop a position on an apology and compensation and, I think, a motion on it. But I'd like to know whether our government has a position on the replacement of lapsed funds from the first two years of operation of the board. That money should have gone into the Giant Mine Oversight Board's research program, so can our Minister tell us what our position is on the replacement of funds and whether he has formally raised it with the federal Minister of Indigenous and...

Merci, Monsieur le President. Last week, the Giant Mine Oversight Board held its first public meeting in Yellowknife. There were over 80 people in attendance, including Chief Edward Sangris of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and all of the board members. A presentation was followed by questions and answers, real answers, Mr. Speaker.

The recommendations in the board's May 2017 report include:

performance measures and timelines should be set for the Giant Mine Remediation Project;

improved communications are necessary;

a federal response to calls for an apology and compensation;

need for a...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and I do appreciate the response from the Minister, and I will be watching the highway very closely to look for those signs.

Over a week ago, the City of Yellowknife committed to an additional $17,000 in funding to support the transition of the visitor centre to a temporary location. In a news release dated yesterday, the Minister committed to "cover costs associated with the association's move to the new location and the interim storage of its assets." That is great; I appreciate that. Can the Minister confirm that these costs will indeed be covered from funding...

I am disappointed to hear the response from the Minister. He has provided the numbers, and I think they show otherwise, but the situation that we find ourselves in today with no visitor services in Yellowknife is unacceptable. Dedicated full-time staff have been laid off, artisans have lost an important retail outlet, and summer tourists will have reduced access to services. I just do not understand why we are in the situation that we are and that it is has taken this much to get the government to finally act.

Can the Minister explain what he and his staff are doing to find a permanent location...

Merci, Monsieur le President. I would like to recognize a couple of constituents: Pam Schlosser and Dean MacInness, who are both educators.

There are also some folks in the gallery from the Northern Frontier Visitors Association: Mr. Kyle Thomas is the chair of the board, and Ian Henderson is on the board as well, and Tracy Therrien is the executive director, and I believe some of her staff are here as well. I am sorry if I missed anybody, but thank you very much for joining us today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the response from the Minister, and am happy to help in any way I can, but we have got to move this forward very quickly so we have a permanent location in time for the aurora season. In the last sitting, my colleague from Hay River mentioned poor highway signage for the new hospital in Hay River, and the Minister had signs up the next day. What a great response, but there are virtually no signs on the highways into Yellowknife to help tourists find a visitors centre. Can the Minister of Tourism talk to the Minister of Infrastructure and commit to putting up signs here in...