Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Northerners expect real climate change leadership, and that means a plan that works for the NWT. The plan that is being proposed by the GNWT that is central on Bill 42 does not achieve that goal. Only one model of carbon pricing was explored and developed without adequate legislative oversight or public engagement.

Although I support some form of carbon pricing in principle, such as a cap and trade system, I cannot support this plan that leaves unelected public servants responsible for new taxes and rebates without approval by Members of this House, not to mention the...

Could I just get the section of the transitional provision again, covering the prospecting permits? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Nothing further.

Thank you. I have reviewed the clause that allows the Minister to provident unintended disclosure in the public registry, and I am satisfied that it has broad powers for the Minister to prevent disclosure of information that would be harmful to business interests. I hear what the witnesses are saying, but I also heard them talk about inherent rights. Could the witnesses walk us through how a disclosure of intended work would impinge on the inherent rights of Indigenous peoples? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. What I am trying to seek clarity on is, A, how broad is this, and I think we've learned it's fairly broad; and B, given that, most likely, this will not change from its current form tonight, let's give crystal clear certainty what the government plans to do with this moving forward.

The Minister can say that there are no concerns from industry or investor confidence. We've got correspondence that says this section is very vague. So if he could just put on the public record tonight that this is just codifying what is currently going on in the Northwest Territories and there...

Thank you, Chair. The intention of this motion is to be consistent with other pieces of Territorial legislation. The sole example is the Petroleum Resources Act. This same provision exists there. It allows opportunity for the public to review regulations as they are published and to provide them with an opportunity to comment. This is something that we heard from civil society, from industry, and from Indigenous organizations, as well. I think it is important that we give the public the opportunity to weigh in on these regulations.

As this is a consistent theme that we have heard throughout the...

Thank you. Which part of the subclauses of clause 24 address the prospecting permit instrument? Thank you.

By working with the IGCS and other partners, does the Minister mean a co-drafting of regulations, or merely consulting with the IGCS?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am keenly interested in some of the rationale that we have heard from the Minister. I would just like to pursue that further. Does the Minister agree that there are sufficient protections included in the act to allow the Minister of the day or the government to prevent the disclosure of information that would be harmful to business interests in the public registry? Thank you.

Just once more for clarity, the Minister will confirm that the government's position on this clause is to continue the practice of best-effort socio-economic agreements moving forward into the regulations? Thank you, Mr. Chair.