Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Proposed Species at Risk Act, Consultation Document, June 2008.

Document 63-16(2), Proposed Species at Risk Act, Consultation Document, June 2008, tabled.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made it clear from the start of this Assembly that while the federal government has a significant amount of legal authority, we believe we have a significant amount of political and moral authority to move to occupy the field. We’re doing things like Species at Risk. We are going to bring forward the water strategy framework and the land-use framework. We want to build a strong northern voice on those issues, and we want to be ready to make all these northern decisions in the North for Northerners.

I would suggest to you that at this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I watched a news article on CBC last night, where that issue came up, with some concern. They were talking about a lake, I believe, in northern B.C., right in the middle of some aboriginal land. They indicated that this is a practice across the North, so I have added that to my list of things that I want to check with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Very clearly, for us as a government it’s not going to be a practice that we’re going to be supporting, given our concern with water. The water strategy that we’re going to be tabling in this House is...

Mr. Speaker, we do a version of that already. There is a needs survey going to be taking place in 2009. As I’ve indicated to the Members of this House, there are issues where we need to review how we do business. We have to keep allocating and growing our resources, which are becoming more and more scarce. We’re going to have to look at how we do that so we get to the areas of highest need.

That’s an issue, I think, that is going to bear discussion as we move forward with the business-planning process.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member knows, that’s an issue of some complexity. We have engaged with the other provinces and territories. We passed a motion in this House recently for support and encouragement to the federal government. We’re going to work collectively with the other provinces and territories to encourage the federal government and Minister Solberg, and we acknowledged that in our Framework for Action. As we move forward with the business-planning process, we’re going to have to keep working on the political pressure to elevate this to the national table. The Ministers of...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Workers’ Compensation Act to permit the Minister to appoint the chairperson of the governance council to a term not exceeding three years, and to reappoint that person so long as the reappointment does not result in a period of consecutive service exceeding six years. The length of service that the appointee previously had as a director of the governance council does not limit the term of his or her...

Mr. Bromley is eight months into his term, and he is already sounding somewhat jaded and cynical. We’ll have to work with him to make sure that that enthusiasm stays strong and that he will recognize that the work we’re doing — the climate change committee, of which he’s going to be a member; the water strategy framework coming forward in this House; the land-use planning framework; all the work that has to be done with the energy coordinating committee — are all pieces we’re all going to be engaged in. I believe Mr. Bromley will leave here in four years being able to point to some very proud...

We’re doing a number of very critical policy pieces. We’re working to bring into this House tomorrow a framework document that’s going to lay out a plan for a water strategy.

Very shortly thereafter we want to bring forward a land-use framework that’s going to, as well, allow us to better deal with the issue of resource development — how, where, when — for maximum benefit for Northerners.

We have also set up a joint committee on climate change that’s going to allow us to look at the Energy Strategy and the Greenhouse Gas Strategy to see what we can do better. We’re working with the Energy...

Mr. Speaker, we’re interested in working with all the components of the northern housing construction sector. We’re interested in building the most fuel-efficient, energy-efficient houses we can to cut our costs and to lower the cost of construction.

There are significant challenges before us, but very clearly, the more we can work with northern industry, the better. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the intention is not to throw in the towel in terms of negotiations with and encouragement of the federal government. We’re convinced that sooner or later they’re going to have to recognize that they have a national crisis on their hands which they have to play a role in. In the meantime, as we go to our Framework for Action plan and our annual business-planning process, the issue of declining funding is going to become more and more evident, I believe, starting in 2010–2011.