Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about Tamerlane and the Tantalus tragedy. When I think of the Tamerlane Ventures and their attempt to get hydro power from the NWT Power Corporation, I’m reminded of the Greek myth of Tantalus, whose punishment is now synonymous with temptation without satisfaction. The Greek gods punished Tantalus by forcing him to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches. Whenever he reached for the fruit, Mr. Speaker, the branches raised his intended meal from his grasp. Whenever he bent down to get a drink, the water drained from his feet so he could not get anything to drink.

So why tell this story, Mr. Speaker? Well, Tamerlane Ventures is forced to stand on their Pine Point property, where they can literally see the power lines out their front window, but the NWT Power Corporation won’t give them any power. They won’t even talk to them. As we all know very well, the NWT Power Corporation has an excess of five megawatts of power to sell from the Taltson hydro power, but they will not enter into discussions with Tamerlane about this or their power requirements. That power potential and customer just flows down the drain and is lost, Mr. Speaker.

So what then? Well, Tamerlane is actually forced to bring in diesel generators to supply power to their mining operation. Tamerlane Ventures is focussed on placing the Pine Point lead-zinc property into production. The deposit has historic resources of one million tons of grade zinc and lead. The company says their project will lead to almost a $90 million gross domestic product increase in the NWT that will generate almost $12 million in labour income and almost $16 million of other benefits through the south of the NWT.

Tamerlane has come to the Territories, filed their environmental application, negotiated with aboriginal groups, provided employment guarantees, training to our residents, and yet the GNWT is not helping. Reputedly we hear about how companies are discouraged from exploring and further going forward on resource development because of the complex regulatory policies. We are now refusing to sell power to a mine -- clean power, Mr. Speaker -- which leaves very few options other than to bring forward diesel generators.

Mr. Speaker, at this time may I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement?

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. The Minister of the NWT Power Corporation has told us that in order to bring down power rates, we need a large customer base. Well, here’s an opportunity to expand the customer base, but the Power Corporation won’t sell power to this potential customer that has deep pockets and is certainly willing to pay. But, Mr. Speaker, we’ll certainly put the cost of power generation on our citizens at a 12 percent power rate.

Mr. Speaker, just like the intended hydro plan bill about running clean power up to the diamond mines, let’s seize this opportunity to show that the government is open for business, not closed, by linking the hydro power to the Pine Point project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause