Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement, I addressed the response to the JRP recommendations that was filed by the GNWT to the NEB. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, who is responsible for the NEB portion of this. It was Minister McLeod who advised the chair of the Economic Development and Infrastructure committee that the response was filed. Since the Minister was the recipient of a letter from the Social Programs committee, the same kind of a letter that went to the Minister of EDI. I would like to know from Minister McLeod why the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Just one last question to do with the numbers on page 13-17. The climate change, in the program delivery details it lists climate change as $6.8 million give or take. In grants and contributions is some $5 million, which seemed to basically refer to climate change. I just wonder if the Minister could advise if that’s correct. Most of that $6.8 million for climate change, is it going to be... Sorry. Is the $5 million in grants and contributions identified under that climate change figure of $6.8 million?

Thanks for that information. Just to follow up, I wasn’t quite sure what you were referencing as going to be happening in this next fiscal year. I note that there’s some money in grants and contributions for communities and regional governments. So you’re talking about fleshing out the plan and expanding it. Is that work only going to be done by the GNWT or is there some money available for the communities to do some of this work as well?

Just a last question on this area. The work is going to be done you said in 2010, you’re hoping to have it done by 2011. Are you talking the beginning of 2011 or middle or end of the year? Can you give us a rough idea as to the time frame for the work to set these targets and set up this plan? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a couple of questions relative to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. I’d, first of all, like to talk about greenhouse gas emission targets. I know that the business plan talks about that we want to be 10 percent below 2001 levels by 2011. That target is fairly modest I guess I would say. I’d like to know from the Minister if there has been any consideration or if there’s going to be any consideration in this next fiscal year to increase the intensity of that reduction. Will we be able to set more stringent targets, I guess, for ourselves? Has that been...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the offer from both Ministers to have a briefing. I think it is something that absolutely is necessary. It will certainly forestall the lack of feeling that we are being left out over here on this side of the House.

I wonder if I could ask the Minister how the response was filed without any input from Regular Members. What was the rationale for that? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I am a little nonplussed, I guess, by the Minister’s response that he would choose to ignore the request of a standing committee. I want to quote from the letter that was sent to the Hon. Robert R. McLeod sometime in January. The date is not evident here, but from the chair of the Standing Committee on Social Programs, and the chair said, “committee members are very interested in the recommendations made in the JRP report on the Mackenzie Gas Project and want both the opportunity to provide input in the development of a response and an opportunity to review the response before it...

So let’s try that novel idea, Mr. Speaker, the idea of working together with respect and consideration for others. We can accomplish a whole lot more together than we can if we antagonize each other. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

So in terms of the Sport and Recreation Council, is there any consideration to looking at the structure of the various organizations that deal with multisport games and/or just sort of games in general, even regional games and so on? There are a number of sporting organizations that exist that come under the umbrella of the Sport and Recreation Council. Is there any intention to look at how those organizations work together, don’t work together, whether or not the Sport and Recreation Council setup should be changed, et cetera?