Wendy Bisaro

I’d like to follow up and ask the Minister when he expects there will be some sort of advancement of the development of the regulatory and policy framework that is required in regard to selling and producing wind energy.

In my statement I talked about the Remote Community Wind Energy Conference, which was held in December of this past year. Actually, I believe it was November; I’ll correct myself. The conference report was expected in January of ’08, and it’s now February.

So my question is to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I wondered when we could expect to receive a report on the conference proceedings.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I’m glad to have this opportunity to address the Premier’s sessional address. Like Mr. Bromley, there was much in here I appreciated and agreed with, but I do have a few comments. One can’t speak without having some comments, of course.

One of the statements with which I particularly appreciated was the Premier’s statement that:

“We want to build a unified, strong and independent territory. A territory that is the master of its own destiny. A territory recognized across Canada as a unique and contributing member of Canada’s federation.”

I totally agree with that. I would hope...

“Fullness of time” is a little difficult to define, but I will accept the Minister’s answer.

Just to clarify, will the work start on the development of the regulatory and policy framework? As well, will we be able to see an operating wind turbine somewhere in some community in the N.W.T. in 2009?

That was before the end of this fiscal year, so I guess that will be the 31st of March. Okay, thank you.

When can we expect to see a community identified for the wind energy demo project that was a recommendation from the conference? It also was a recommendation in two reports from 2007.

Over the last several weeks, as the mercury slid to minus 40 or more, our homes and businesses were gulping fuel to keep us warm and cozy, unfortunately to the detriment of our environment. The indications of climate change are all around us — we see them throughout the North — but there's hope. Alternative energy sources are available. We just have to accept and advance them.

The N.W.T. currently has such an opportunity. Last November the community of Tuktoyaktuk hosted the Remote Community Wind Energy Conference, and by all reports it was very successful and produced a number of excellent...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, February, 11, 2008, I will move the following motion.

I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Thebacha, that the 16th Legislative Assembly refers the review of the provisions and operation of the Official Languages Act required by section 35 of that act, to the Standing Committee on Government Operations, and further that the terms of reference for the review of the provisions and operations of the Official Languages Act by the Standing Committee on Government Operations be established as follows:

The Standing Committee on Government Operations, in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My apologies for my previous misstep.

The reference is to the Commissioner’s Land Act. It’s not the Property Assessment and Taxation Act to which we refer.

Mines without financial security are often abandoned, and the cleanup then reverts to either the federal government or the Territorial government. Giant Mine is, unfortunately, an excellent example.

What is required is a small change to the Commissioner’s Land Act to require companies that are leasing land from G.N.W.T. to provide financial security. This change can be a huge motivator to industry to respect the...

That's extremely good news. I like to hear that.

I would ask the Minister if he could provide us with some kind of timeframe. Are we talking six months, are we talking a year, are we talking four years, or are we talking the next Assembly?

I wholeheartedly endorse the earlier comments of the Member of Weledeh, and I'd like to follow up on his statement. Consider us a tag team, if you will, at a wrestling match.

This question is addressed to either the Minister of Finance or the Minister of MACA, as they choose.

Considering the huge impact on our environment that abandoned mine sites have and considering the financial impact that mine cleanups have on the government’s financial bottom line, why do we not yet have a legislative or regulatory mechanism in place to ensure financial security for the G.N.W.T. in respect to mining and...