Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There has been a significant amount of discussion regarding the Taltson Hydro Expansion Project over the last couple of months. My colleague Mr. Bromley made a clear, concise and reasonable statement on March 3, 2010, encouraging this government to take control of its utilities, the utilities it owns, and start building for the future. I couldn’t agree more.
There is merit in the Taltson hydro expansion. The project will provide some short-term economic stimuli during the construction and reduce the burning of diesel in mines and hopefully extend mine life or open up new mining opportunities throughout the North Slave geological region.
As a business and lead in the expansion project, Deze Energy’s primary focus is to make money and provide a return to their stakeholders. From a business and profit perspective, there is no question that the route proposed by Deze Energy to the east of Great Slave Lake is definitely the best route for them and their profit margin. However, constructing transmission lines through a new federal park, one of the most beautiful places on Earth and an important traditional location for many aboriginal people from the area, with no clear or concise long-term plan for the sake of short-term profit seems counterproductive to the best interests of the people of the Northwest Territories.
As a government we must think beyond the economic benefits of one company. We must do what is right, what is just, and what is for the public good. As the partners move forward with the expansion, the government, in particular the Premier, must provide leadership to Deze through the NWT Power and NWT Hydro corporations so that the best interests of the people of the Northwest Territories can be taken into consideration and acted upon.
The Premier must ensure that a long-term strategy which addresses the advantages of NWT grids is taken into consideration. The Premier must ensure that redundancies in the provision of electricity through the NWT are taken into consideration. The Premier must ensure that the benefits to the other communities and our residents who live there are taken into consideration. There are alternate routes worth considering which address all of these potential advantages and are in the best interest of the people that we serve.
Unfortunately, these routes may cost a bit more money in the short term and cut into Deze’s profits. It won’t eliminate their profits, just decrease them a bit. These routes, however, will offer significant long-term benefits to the people of the Northwest Territories without losing any of the practical opportunities presented by the eastern route, such as the creation of short-term employment and the support and reduction of greenhouse gases.
The Premier and Cabinet must do what is right, just, and for the public good, not the good of one company and their bottom line. This government must take control of our utilities...
Mr. Abernethy, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted.
The Premier and Cabinet must do what is right, just, and for the public good, not the good of one company and their bottom line. This government must take control of our utilities and start building for the future. I will be asking the Premier questions at the appropriate time.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
