Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Work is currently underway with other departments to assess how best to move forward about the concerns that have been raised with this proposed development on the Yukon side of the border as it may affect the Northwest Territories with wildlife, water and the environment. So the work is underway. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, as well, would like to say a few brief words about the motion which I will, as well, be supporting. We are here in this Legislature today for political closure, as it were. Because the complaint was dismissed, there is no legal obligation for us to have any say any further. The case was decided when Mr. Hughes dismissed the complaint, but it was thought that it would help us move forward for the remaining 689 days that we have left before us.

My political perspective on this whole thing starts right back when this Assembly was elected. We came here and we picked...

We will be working in a collaborative fashion, as we do in many circumstances like with the caribou and other related issues to water, to make sure that we coordinate our efforts, that while we put forward the GNWT position, it is in conjunction with the collaboration with the people of the Sahtu and the aboriginal governments so that we have as coordinated a response as possible. Thank you.

We are working for the deadline that has been laid out in November. We will be trying to comply and get our comments in by that time. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, I will move that Bill 6, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2010-2011, be read for the first time. Thank you.

The issue is about choices and resources that we have and decisions to put the money to the best use for the maximum number of people. That is what we’re talking about, and we are. We are making a conscious effort in some areas to go into debt, there is no doubt about that, on the short-term basis to fund some of our capital to keep our priorities moving.

In this case, we’ve made a choice to look at putting the money to get max amount of involvement by seniors at the regional level and I think it’s a good focus and the more seniors we keep active, the better.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories provides tremendous support to seniors. We have some of the best seniors’ benefits in the country. The Minister of Health and Social Services has indicated a willingness to work with the NWT Seniors’ Society to look at a regional type of games that would maximize the ability of seniors in the communities to actually get out and take part in an event much more egalitarian, much more widespread. That’s the focus, and business plans will come forward reflecting that commitment. The Minister has already made that commitment in...

Mr. Speaker, I believe every Member in this House gets it. I think every Northerner gets it when it comes to climate change. We’re not sloughing off anything. We’re spending tens of millions of dollars with communities to deal with their infrastructure issues, the issues and challenges they’re facing from nature. Some things we’ll be able to mitigate, some things we’re going to have to adapt to. In some cases Mother Nature will have the final say. We have to be prepared for that. But we are on this with communities and we all get it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the issue of what are we doing to mitigate the impact of global warming, climate change, we, as a Legislature, have committed to put $60 million into alternative energy to be able to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, to look at expanding wind, biomass, hydro, possibly geothermal, all with an aim towards reducing our greenhouse gasses and doing our share as global citizens and being responsible. When it comes to actual on-the-ground issues, we are spending millions of dollars in communities to deal with things related to permafrost, related to shore...

Mr. Speaker, in the position put forward by other governments and put forward by all the Ministers and the Premier when we meet with the federal Ministers, there is the issue of board appointments. There is the issue of land use frameworks. There is the issue of clarification and fixing up of the current process and adequately funding the system that is now in place, which is still a relatively young system. There is a package that we put forward that we think will help us move on regulatory reform that won’t require any legislative change. It won’t require the reopening of land claims. It...