Norman Yakeleya

I want to ask the Minister of ITI, in regard to the hydraulic fracking that had been happening in the Fort Liard area under the Lone Pine Resources and also in the ‘70s around the Cameron Hills area, has the Minister, in his discussions with his colleagues, seen any type of disturbance with the land around the areas that had been hydraulically fracked?

Could I direct my questions to the Minister of ENR?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year at the Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated AGM, the motion that was tabled and talked about called for a joint committee with the GNWT to consider the risks and benefits of hydraulic fracking in the settlement area.

I want to ask the Minister, has the Minister’s department ever responded to that motion, where they would sit down with the Sahtu Secretariat and look at the issue of hydraulic fracking in their region and come together to understand as to how they’re going to proceed with this?

The Minister talked about studies and information. I want to ask the Minister, what credible information on the impacts on this exploring for energy using hydraulic fracking to the health, environment and water that we are doing in the Sahtu. Do we have effective enforcement?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize two constituents. One, Marie Speakman. She was originally from Deline and now she’s living here. I would also like to recognize Sheila Karkagie from Tulita.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all want a cleaner, safer, healthier environment. “Why,” you ask. Well, if you were to come out and walk on the Canol Trail with me, you’ll know why, or travel along the Mackenzie River, you’ll know why, or fish on Great Slave Lake or the Great Bear, you’ll know why.

We can strike a balance. We have responsible exploration for energy. We are searching for economic freedom, unshackling the chains of dependency from the federal government. Days are gone of the oil companies that drill them, fill them, spill them and bill them. Responsible exploration for energy has been...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have been fracking in the Northwest Territories. There is vertical fracking and horizontal fracking. There has been fracking in the Cameron Hills in the ‘70s and we’ve been fracking in the Lone Pine Resources in Fort Liard. Imperial Oil actually has been doing some fracking under a different name.

I want to know from the Minister, through all these different fracks throughout the years, has the Minister, with his colleagues, seen any type of environmental issues that are raised by the anti-fracking groups?

I do apologize, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of ITI, in his discussions with his colleagues from ENR, has the Minister seen any type of alterations in the water use in other areas where there has been hydraulic fracking in the Cameron Hills and around the Fort Liard area?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of ITI, we need to look at this issue of fracking in the Northwest Territories. A lot of the questions we need to face are to face the unknowns but, more importantly, address the fears of the unknowns and have a respectful discussion.

About the water and the chemicals, there are comments out there as to the issue of the use of water and chemicals, and it’s pretty frightening when you look at them. Since the 1920s, Imperial Oil has been drilling. The Sahtu Land and Water Board renewed the Esso licence that is drawing millions, if not billions...

Can the Minister speak about the public infrastructure plan that will and is addressing the issue, such as transportation of wastewater disposals once the operations have begun in areas where we are doing horizontal hydraulic fracking?