Michael Miltenberger

Yes, Mr. Speaker. In fact, there is a position in Norman Wells that is dedicated to assist people to navigate those very specific program areas the Member mentioned. I will make sure to have a conversation with the deputy minister and the superintendent in Norman Wells. They are already engaged, but we will make sure they are aware of the concern expressed by the Member in this House.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me Mr. Ernie Campbell, deputy minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are a number of programs that are application-based. The ones delivered by ENR are the Alternative Energy Technologies Program, which is about $300,000 a year. Unfortunately, that program already has a waiting list. It has been a subscribed Energy Conservation Program, which supports reduced usage of electro heat energies and water. Maximum grant contribution is $50,000 available. We are operating with a budget of about $200,000 this year. The Biomass Energy Program has a broad range of support programs to help people to convert to biomass. It is a $400,000 fund...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents, titled 2012-2013 59th Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Liquor Commission, and 2012-2013 59th Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Liquor Licensing Board and Liquor Enforcement. Thank you.

I’ve been meeting with the CFIB quite regularly and the general response is just that, a general response or chastisement that we’ve got to do more. We’ve written to the territorial chamber as well. We’re looking for specifics from people outside of government looking in to tell us what are the specific things that we need. We’ve tried to improve how we dispense licences, fees and applications. We’re looking at that list that I already read out to the Member, and we’re continuing to work through eFolks and government on ways we can be more efficient as a government, and that includes...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve done a significant amount of work to work with small business. We have all of the services provided through the BDIC where we have a capital there, especially available in communities where banking services aren’t necessarily available. We’ve spent a significant amount of money putting in service officers, the one stop shopping, so we’re available to all folks in the communities.

We have, in addition to the regional support and community support provided by ITI and their business arm and the work provided by the BDIC, we have our e-business strategy. We’ve put a...

Thank you. We agree that there is a lot of work and we acknowledge and recognize there’s a lot of interest in terms of what’s happening in the Peel on our side of the border, but also what’s happening on the western side in the Yukon. So we’ve put in that request. I indicated, in part of my previous answer, that the response from the Yukon government is yes, they know, and they do want to meet, but they would like to have some preliminary discussions about how do we modernize and update the transboundary agreement. So we’re working with them on that. But I will make sure that we keep the...

That is the challenge before us, as the Member articulates. But clearly, at this point our focus is on getting our thinking clear on the guidance we need to provide as a government when it comes to best practices of unconventional hydraulic fracturing. Then we have to work, as well, just to see what’s going to happen at the exploration stage. If things prove out and we start moving into the fact being a producing field, then clearly the work and those questions the Member has posed will be part of the grist for the millet of environmental assessments, the timing of intensity, pace, all those...

We have a major economic initiative, alternative energy-based initiative, which is the expansion of the transmission lines between Snare and the Taltson between 500 million to 700 million dollars. I consider that a very, very substantial investment. We are working throughout the North on expanding biomass, wind, solar. We are investing millions in that as well. We are spending millions upgrading our own facilities, converting to biomass. We’ve changed our guidelines for construction. Wherever you look, we are trying to lower our consumption and improve our energy efficiencies, work on...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. For my final answer, we have an air monitoring station in Norman Wells. As things develop and expand, of course, we are going to take a look at the capacity of the station and ensure that it has the capacity to measure all the necessary criteria on qualities of the air so that we can ensure and deal with all of the issues tied to the development. Thank you.