Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m really glad to hear what the Minister had to say, but he avoided my last question, which is simply: What is going to happen if there’s a buffalo on the bridge and somebody comes along and goes over the hump of the bridge and all of a sudden sees a buffalo? The buffalo has nowhere to go but on the side or jump over. Potentially someone could hit the buffalo; there’s nowhere to swerve. I mean, we know how narrow that bridge is. So the question essentially is: Is public safety being compromised with this failed solution to keep the buffalo off the bridge?

Thank you. Well, I guess the next question is: How does the Minister know they can’t cross the Texas gates? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There were a terrible lot of lies going around the world about fracking and the worst thing of all is some of them are true. The fact is, we don’t know what the truth is about fracking until we have done our research. The GNWT and Members on this side of the House continue to go down this path and this narrative of fracking.

Is fracking right for the Northwest Territories? Yesterday I tried to articulate some of the concerns that need to be looked at if our government chooses to travel down this journey, down this path to resource riches, as we have described it. Yes, I...

Thank you. I would first like to give credit to Mr. Bromley, who has brought this issue up here today. This isn’t his first occasion, nor should I miss the point of people like yourself, Mr. Chairman, Ms. Bisaro and there are many other MLAs of course who have brought up the need for J.H. Sissons to be brought up to date. When it comes to the quality of school, the facility needs desperate attention. It’s been brought up in committee many, many times. It’s been brought up for many years. I think we could speak at length to types of renovations that are necessary, but really it’s gone beyond...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think I need to go too much further than what has been offered here already today, but I do want to make it very clear that I am certainly in full support of this motion. I am certainly glad that it is here today to discuss and hear.

I think that when we hear the narrative provided by people like Mr. Bromley, who in some ways is an historian on this particular issue, he has seen the passage of time on this particular project. He complains about his grey hair. When I started the Assembly, I had a full head of hair. See what this has done to me?

In all seriousness...

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Your loyal and hardworking Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure is pleased to report on the review of Bill 3, Wildlife Act, and commends it to the House.

Bill 3, the Wildlife Act, is a product of over 15 years of work to replace existing wildlife legislation which dates back to 1978. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure conducted extensive public consultation on the bill and has reached consensus among its members that the legislation is ready for consideration by the Committee of the Whole.

Bill 3 was referred to the...

I appreciate the Minister’s answer. I think what’s important here today in the dialogue, are these are some of the concerns we’re going to build on, and certainly we want Northerners to give us feedback.

Earlier today it was talked about the Bakken. There was a rupture in the pipeline and 20,000 barrels of crude had spilled. For two weeks no one was informed. That was almost the exact same time this study tour was there.

One of the things that had arisen when we were in Alberta last year, talking to the BC regulators and the Alberta regulators, is about full disclosure of information.

I ask the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to use the occasion today to ask questions to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I understand that the department is developing a fracking policy, or I should say potentially developing a policy on hydraulic fracking here in the Northwest Territories.

Before we ask specifics about the policy, when will a policy be developed so Members can see it? Is the Minister committed to bringing this policy public at the same time so all members of our territory can have a look at it as to what the government is thinking along the lines of this initiative...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Of course, my colleague will remain nameless on this next point, but I will really point out about the thin opportunities for Yellowknife in this capital budget, and I will let the people figure out from the record which MLA said that.

The reality here is that we are not asking for a college to be built. What it is, is a planning study. I think what happens here is that in order to see vision as to where this college should be going, it gives a chance to re-evaluate what’s being done now.

Not all college programming is created equal, not all campuses are created equal...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee strongly recommends that the government take immediate action to identify the funding necessary to commence the planning study for the construction of a stand-alone Yellowknife Campus facility for Aurora College in the fiscal year 2014-2015; and furthermore, that the government actively pursue partnership with other organizations and governments such as the City of Yellowknife to support this initiative. Thank you.