Michael Nadli

My final question is to the Premier. Is there a timeline in terms of perhaps concluding the Dehcho Land Use Plan? I realize there have been a lot of discussions and pull towards concluding the Devolution Agreement. Will the Premier assure other First Nations, including the Dehcho First Nation, that their agreements would take precedence before the Devolution Agreement? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I made a statement on the Dehcho Land Use Plan. My question is directed to the Premier. What is the Government of the Northwest Territories prepared to do to help move the Dehcho Land Use Plan forward so that it could be completed?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have a couple of comments. We were talking on just the building design. One of my constituent communities had expressed a desire to see if there could be some discussions perhaps explored. I’m not familiar if those discussions have taken place. I’m talking about the Hamlet of Enterprise. They’ve indicated an interest to see if it is possible to look at maybe making an addition to their hamlet office to see if there could be at least some possibilities of maybe placing some additional rooms to the hamlet office to house a temporary school. I wonder if the Minister...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] I am glad that I am able to make a statement on the 16th Assembly. In the 16th Assembly they said that there would be a health centre that can be worked out in Fort Providence and with the new health centre the Town of Fort Providence would benefit from that. [Translation ends]

…use of local expertise. There should be good local jobs and business stemming from this project. This is the kind of development the community will be proud of. The health centre is the only real capital project being carried over from the last Assembly, but there is a lot of other work...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think it’s been fairly clear in terms of the path that is before us, at least for the past couple of weeks that we’ve been here. It’s fairly clear that we’re challenged with limitations and fiscal resources. At the same time we’re challenged with continuing to deliver programs and services and links that are vital to ensuring that our citizens and residents of the Northwest Territories enjoy their lifestyle here in the North, and ensuring that they bring up their families and ensuring that we have a future for all of us to share this part of Canada. It’s been very...

The Minister has indicated that there is some level of cooperation with the federal government. I wonder if the department is considering, perhaps, some unique ways in terms of how this whole new practice will be introduced to the North. Hopefully at some point the department will consider some unique ways that are northern based, to ensure that the environment is not compromised and understand that there’s some positive development in terms of the Water Stewardship Strategy. I understand water is very vital to the people of the Northwest Territories, so I wanted to know if the Minister is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recently in the media there has been a lot of discussion on the whole idea of hydraulic fracturing. My question is to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. What is the government or department doing to ensure that the practice of hydraulic fracking is mitigated and also understood? Eventually, more likely the introduction of the practice will be fairly common up here in the Northwest Territories. Is the department taking measures to ensure that it will be done within the regulatory system that’s safe and, of course, respects the environment? Mahsi.

Thank you. I don’t have any questions, but perhaps maybe at some point I’d like to perhaps get a briefing from the Minister in terms of what it is, perhaps that could be considered in terms of a management regime to mitigate the whole practice of hydraulic fracking. Perhaps the Minister could make that available, if perhaps there are some discussions at that time. Mahsi.

The Minister has indicated that there has been some consideration in terms of what other jurisdictions have undertaken. I wonder if the Minister and the department have considered as an option, seeming that there are some other initiatives – one of them is a moratorium on evictions on housing – a moratorium on hydraulic fracking in the North. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories released a Biomass Strategy in 2010. It’s time to put it into action.

Fort Providence is the ideal location for a biomass-based business. It is surrounded by forests, on the Mackenzie River, and at the junction of Highways No. 1 and No. 3, only distances from Yellowknife and Hay River where more and more homes and businesses are using wood pellets. Biomass products produced in Fort Providence could be shipped by barge to communities along the Mackenzie River.

Like most Northwest Territories communities, many people in Fort...