Statements in Debates
The legislation that was passed in the 15th Assembly with regard to the NWT Hydro Act specifically excluded the transmission lines to the diamond mines. The reason for doing that was because the power purchase agreements negotiated with the diamond mines would be negotiated and, obviously, the hydro proponents would be seeking the best rate in terms of making profits. With regard to the regulated side, the whole focus is to keep the rates as low as possible. As such, the legislation provides for preferential rates to be negotiated on the regulated side. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government has had some sessions with Avalon to discuss their project. Certainly, valued added is a priority for our government and also we want to work with them to facilitate that. So our first order of business is to determine what their requirements are.
As you know, the federal government is responsible for mining in the Northwest Territories and as such they collect royalties for all developments. So it makes it a little difficult for us to actually provide financial support. But, nevertheless, we are working very hard to identify areas that we can have value...
Thank you. Our government has been very active in promoting a Mackenzie Pipeline. We have done a large amount of work outlining the significant benefits, not only to the Northwest Territories but to Canada. We pointed out to different provinces that the largest beneficiaries would be the provinces of Alberta and Ontario. Our Premier has met with the Prime Minister on a number of occasions. I know a number of our Ministers, every time we go out to Ottawa we take the occasion to talk about the pipeline. The pipeline is our biggest priority and this is something that we want the rest of Canada to...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Mr. Larry Elkin and his wife, Cappy. Mr. Elkin is a very long-time deputy minister with the Government of the Northwest Territories. He commented to me the other day that he had a letter of thanks from 40 years ago for intervening at the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline hearing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. We have been meeting with the federal Ministers. We’ve also been meeting with the oil and gas industry executives and we’ve been discussing how we can work more closely together.
One of the messages we get from the federal government is that we need to speak with one voice. Also, we’re hearing: where is the chorus of support from the Northwest Territories? They say, “what are you hearing from certain individuals or organizations that they support the pipeline,” but we don’t have the whole Northwest Territories indicating their support for the pipeline. So I think that we recognized...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I would like to express my appreciation to the honourable Member for travelling with me to Calgary.
---Laughter
MLA Ramsay for travelling to Calgary with me. It reinforced to the oil and gas industry executives the importance that this government places on the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline project. I think this is a very important question, because I am getting concerned that too many people think that this pipeline is a sure thing now that the Joint Review Panel report has been released. It is an important step, but there is another important step which is the...
Mr. Speaker, we have reached a crucial milestone with the Mackenzie Gas Project.
On December 30, 2009, the Joint Review Panel released its long awaited report assessing the environmental and social impacts of the MGP.
What I will talk about today is what this government is doing, and has done, to ensure our work on this project is timely and efficient. And I will talk about the potential benefits this proposed project, if done in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, could bring to the Northwest Territories and to Canada. But I am not here today to focus on this report and the...
Thank you. I think that if we can somehow get the federal government to recognize that all of the people in the Northwest Territories support the pipeline and feel it’s an important project and priority for this government and Territory, that that would go a long ways. Also, I know the 15th Assembly had passed a motion in support -- I think it was unanimous support -- for the Mackenzie Pipeline and I think that probably would only help to reinforce it if this 16th Legislative Assembly did the same. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, want to recognize two long-term Yellowknife South constituents, Adam and Donna Pich. Business must really be picking up because they had to go back right away.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document titled Creating a Brighter Future: A Review of Electricity Regulation, Rates and Subsidy Programs in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.