Michael Miltenberger

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.

We are going to work closely recognizing the impacts are going to be felt in the Sahtu and the need to be coordinated within the government, be able to make sure that we are looking at things like the Mackenzie for River Basin Trans-Boundary Water Agreement and the bilateral that currently exists between the Yukon and the Northwest Territories as well as what role MVEIRB may play as we try to raise the issues to protect our interests in this proposed project.

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.

The reality remains, as we’ve said, the focus is going to be on regional type of games, working with the NWT Seniors’ Society and communities to get as many seniors as we can involved. The Member indicated there’s no indication that this isn’t any better, there is no indication that it is better. We know that we can get far more involvement by focusing on working with the communities and the Seniors’ Society. That’s where we’re trying to put the resources we do have available in this area. Thank you.

The reality is that there are far more needs than there are resources. The reality is we make choices every day. The reality is that the focus of the government is on working with all the seniors in the Northwest Territories in all areas of their need, and when it comes to the recreation piece, the interest has been and the indication is that we do a lot of work at the regional level to maximize the involvement of seniors in the communities often who never get any other opportunity to take part in an event such as the regional games.

That’s the focus. I think it’s a very good idea, it maximizes...

Mr. Speaker, there has been, and continues to be, work done with our government through MACA, through Public Works, on the issue of shoreline erosion as it affects the community of Aklavik, as it affects the community of Tuk, the federal government is aware of the issue, and we’re going to continue to work with the communities to deal with this issue. As it accelerates, it may require different types of action, but this has been an issue that has been there for hundreds of years. The sad reality is it seems to be intensifying as the climate warms, and the ice melts and the water levels rise...

Mr. Speaker, we are of the opinion, as well, that climate change and the effect of global warming is no laughing matter and that it’s affecting us that live in the North the fastest and the most intensely. But we must also recognize that there are some nature forces that have been going on since the world began: the river valley erosion, the shore erosion. It’s being speeded up and accelerated by global warming. We recognize that. We’re spending millions of dollars to work with communities to deal with the issues across the North. We’ve taken out some broad government-wide strategies that I...

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has not officially responded to the McCrank report yet. We are using, and are continuing to use, every opportunity to press the case more and more for the need for regulatory reform. We are doing a lot of other things to get ready to take over, devolve authorities to us, our planning on water, the planning on our land use framework. Let’s get the regulatory reform done. We tell the federal government that regulatory reform as we are putting it out can be done now. It will move us very clearly down the path towards a more efficient system, provide certainty...