Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that commitment. It’s not just about sharing knowledge too. It’s about encouraging research opportunities and bringing more funding into the North. I know that the Royal Research Institute does a lot of that work and although that’s not this department, it is related to our research opportunities in the North. I just think that if we pursue those kind of opportunities such as installing research chairs, we can greatly increase the amount of funding and research opportunities that come into the North and potentially find another avenue of economic -- well, not...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to touch briefly on the science agenda and climate change efforts of the department. In my opening comments, I spoke about the excellent work that ENR has done, developing expertise and gathering knowledge on climate change. I wonder if the Minister can explain the relationship of any we have with the Natural Sciences and Engineer Council of Canada in regards to expanding our knowledge on climate change and being of assistance to developing this body of knowledge across Canada. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm very proud to be a member of this community, but I'm also proud to be a Member of this House and I'm going to bring forward that idea now. So can the Minister commit to developing an incentive for companies to provide alternative energy solutions to industrial activities in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That work is important work. There are some mines in southern jurisdictions that have converted to 100 per cent electrified processes, which has greatly reduced their greenhouse gas emissions, something that is unlikely to happen in the Northwest Territories.

Is there a plan along with these transportation corridors to expand power supplies for communities and mines? Is that a tangible plan, or are we just talking about it with people in the North?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Jay Bulckaert and Pablo Saravanja from the Artless Collective. They were big creative forces behind the Dead North Film Festival I spoke about earlier today. Without their mentorship and guidance for the next generation of northern filmmakers, I think we would be further behind than we actually are. Keep making great films and keep helping put the North on the map. Thanks, guys.

Mr. Chair, I move that this committee defer further consideration of the activity of regional operations under the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Main Estimates 2017-2018 on page 330 at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Can the Minister elaborate on why the size of our jurisdiction does not require to know who is influencing government decision-making? Apart from a list of meetings that is published by choice, there is nothing in legislation that requires an increased level of scrutiny on who the government is talking to. We have industry here. We have the involvement of large corporations involved in the resource sector. Is this not a priority, that our citizens be informed of who our decision makers are meeting with when they are outside of this building? I would like to hear an answer from the Minister.

How many policy analysts or positions are with the department? I will start with that. Thank you.

All right. One more, Mr. Speaker, and thank you. If there was data that showed that the arsenic levels in Kam Lake were over 52 parts per billion, would a public health advisory be issued by the department and would people know in Kam Lake immediately that there was a concern and that they should avoid it?

I believe I have made my case for moving this out of this activity. Thank you, Mr. Chair.