Debates of October 21, 2004 (day 25)

Good afternoon, Members. Before we proceed at this time, I would like to provide my ruling on the Point of Order raised on Tuesday, October 19, 2004, by the Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mrs. Groenewegen rose on a Point of Order during question period after a question and answer exchange between the Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya, and the Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Michael McLeod. Mrs. Groenewegen’s point is that the Minister, in responding to a question, was making reference to confidential proceedings in a standing committee and, in doing so, was inferring committee compliance with certain government initiatives. I quote the Member for Hay River South, page 1885 of the unedited Hansard: “I just wanted to raise a Point of Order that when Ministers share information with standing committees like GED or the Social Programs committee, that we are obliged to keep that information to ourselves and not to raise it in direct reference in the House in order to obtain information about future years' plans. I want to raise this because Minister McLeod was just referencing the plan and decisions of his department. He made reference to the fact that these were discussed with the GED and the GED approved them, and it makes it sound as if this was done at the initiative of a standing committee, as opposed to the department. We share information in the standing committees, but referring to decisions in direct reference to consultation of information that happened and communication that happened within the standing committee is inappropriate in the House.”

In addressing this matter, I have reviewed unedited Hansard from October 19, 2004, in particular Mr. McLeod’s response to Mr. Yakeleya on page 1883 and 1884, which gives rise to Mrs. Groenewegen’s Point of Order. “Mr. Speaker, we have plans to invest $40 million into the Sahtu roads. We have met with the GED committee and they have advised us that some of our investments should be moved. This year we decided to move $1 million out of the Sahtu, we also are planning to move money out of the Ingraham Trail program into Highway No. 1.”

In stating her Point of Order, I note that Mrs. Groenewegen did not identify which rule of the House the Minister infringed upon. In fact, strictly speaking, we do not have a particular rule stating that Members shall not refer to in camera committee discussions in the House. However, I draw Members’ attention to Rule 2(g) of the rules of the Legislative Assembly which states that, “Point of Order means any departure from any written or

unwritten rule or custom of this Assembly or of parliamentary tradition.” In this instance, the House is governed by its own precedence and long-standing parliamentary traditions and conventions.

In terms of precedence, I am guided by a ruling by Speaker Whitford on February 14, 2001, in which he rules: “It is an infringement of our rules and contrary to parliamentary practice for Members to refer to committee proceedings that have not been reported to this House. Specifically, I want to caution Members about making reference to what may or may not have been said or who may or may not have been in attendance in any proceedings or events outside of this House.”

I am also guided by page 885 of Marleau and Montpetit House of Commons Procedures and Practices: “It is not in order for Members to allude to committee proceedings or evidence in the House until the committee has presented its report to the House. This restriction applies to both references made by Members in debate or during oral question period.”

In this matter, Mr. McLeod is relating information respecting the plans of his department. He is certainly permitted to do so. He alluded to advice he received from the GED committee on proposed expenditures for roads in the Sahtu and throughout the territory.

It is relevant in this case to determine whether the advice Minister McLeod is referring to is specifically included in a committee report that has been tabled in this House. In reviewing the public reports of the GED committee, I can find no specific reference to the advice Minister McLeod referred to in the House on Tuesday. While the committee’s Report on the Review of the 2004-2005 Draft Main Estimates does make reference to general discussion in committee about the allocation of transportation funding, there is no clear and specific reference to the Minister having received advice on the matters he referred to in the House on Tuesday. I can thus only conclude that any discussion must have taken place at an in camera meeting of the committee and was not specifically included in its report to the House. Therefore, I find that the Member for Hay River South does have a Point of Order.

As a cautionary note, I would like to take this opportunity to review a number of matters with all Members. While this matter has been addressed by way of a point or order, breaches of committee confidentiality can also constitute a breach of privilege, if raised as such. I again refer to Marleau and Montpetit from page 838 of their House of Commons Procedures and Practices, and I quote: “Divulging any part of the proceeding of an in camera committee meeting has been ruled by the Speaker to constitute a prima facie matter of privilege.”

As your Speaker, I have noted a number of occasions during the 15th Assembly that Members, both Ministers and Regular Members, have inadvertently referred to standing committee business and issues in the course of debate and in question period. In some instances, the issues had been previously reported from committee, but often that has not been the case. Now that the matter has been raised and all Members are aware that such references are a serious transgression, I know my caution will be taken to heart.

I can also understand that often it is not clear what references are allowed and which are not. Certainly, when discussing multi-year planning initiatives, some of the information related to past or current years is likely public knowledge, whereas future plans and initiatives may not be. Clearly, the government has the prerogative to disclose matters not yet public as they see fit, even if these matters have been discussed with committee in camera. However, neither Ministers nor Regular Members are permitted to allude to in camera committee proceedings or evidence until the committee has included these proceedings in its report to the House.

As the current Point of Order illustrates, this is obviously a very difficult distinction to make in many cases, and it is not one the Chair can be expected to be aware of in all instances. Therefore, Members on both sides of the House have a duty to ensure that they are mindful of the rules about confidential information and are respectful of one another at all times. This is one of those areas where it might be prudent to err on the side of caution so that the privileges of all Members, individually and collectively, are protected.

Thank you, Members. Before I go on, I would like to draw your attention to the visitor’s gallery. I would like to draw your attention to the presence of Captain Tony Evans of the HMCS Yellowknife.

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With Captain Evans is the HMCS sponsor, Pat McMahon.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to provide Members with an update on the Mackenzie gas project and our ongoing preparations for this exciting development project.

As the Premier stated in his sessional statement at the opening of the session, the Mackenzie gas project is a key to the long-term strategic interests of the Northwest Territories and the socioeconomic future of our territory. The Government of the Northwest Territories remains committed to this project, to the joint panel process established to review it and to ensuring that northerners fully benefit from this development.

The proposed Mackenzie gas project is an ambitious project that includes: natural gas gathering facilities in the Mackenzie Delta, a gas processing plant near Inuvik and natural gas and gas liquid pipelines down the Mackenzie Valley to bring the production to market.

With the filing of the environmental impact statement and associated federal regulatory applications by the project proponents, the scope of the project has now been clearly defined and the formal approval process for the project has been set in motion.

The environmental impact statement is a large and complex document, totalling several thousand pages. Our focus in the short term is ensuring that we can conduct a full and thorough review of this document. To take advantage of the expertise that exists within both the GNWT and federal governments, we are working with our federal partners to establish a series of teams to review specific aspects of the filing. We have also established internal committees to coordinate the review and approval of interventions related to the socioeconomic and environmental mandates of this government.

The Joint Cabinet/Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight Pipeline Planning Committee, established to provide advice and guidance to the government on the Mackenzie gas project, has met to consider how we can best prepare for this project. The work of the joint committee will focus on the issues, interests and priorities we must consider in our planning and preparation for this project.

As noted earlier, this government is committed to ensuring that northerners fully benefit from this project. One mechanism to ensure this occurs is through the negotiation of meaningful socioeconomic agreements with the proponents. Over the coming months, the joint committee will consider and advise on the priority areas that we believe must be addressed in these agreements. These priorities include employment and training, infrastructure, social impacts, community capacity and economic opportunities.

The proposed Mackenzie gas project has the potential to create enormous economic opportunities and benefits for the Northwest Territories. We are committed to ensuring that NWT residents can take advantage of these opportunities and that the proposed Mackenzie gas project is undertaken in a manner that is both environmentally and economically sustainable over the long term.

Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to these objectives, and we are taking the necessary steps to ensure that they will be achieved. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Labour Standards Act lays out employment standards for non-unionized businesses in the territory. It was first enacted in 1968 and was based on legislation in effect across Canada. It has been amended over the years on a piecemeal basis and now the act is disjointed and at times difficult to interpret.

The Department of Justice has initiated a review of the legislation and later today, at the appropriate time, I will table the document: Renewing the Labour Standards Act of the Northwest Territories: A Consultation Paper.

Mr. Speaker, in this consultation paper, the department has identified proposed directions for reforming the act. Employers or employees are directly affected by this legislation and will be impacted by changes that might be made. This consultation is an opportunity for all who are interested to participate in the review of this important legislation.

The consultation paper contains a brief summary of the major components of employment standards legislation, proposes directions for change and poses questions for discussion.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice wants to hear from employees, employers and interested residents on the specific proposals and questions raised in the consultation paper. As well, any other comments or suggestions about employment standards in the Northwest Territories will be welcomed.

Copies of the consultation document are available by contacting the Department of Justice or visiting the website at www.justice.gov.nt.ca. Copies of the consultation paper are also being sent to unions, chambers of commerce and employers’ groups.

Mr. Speaker, after the consultation process is completed, the Government of the Northwest Territories will review the comments and decide whether to proceed with reform of the legislation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to provide Members with an update on the recent appointment of Mr. Jim Antoine as the pan-northern ambassador for the 2007 Canada Winter Games that will take place from February 24 to March 10, 2007 in Whitehorse, Yukon.

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2007 will mark the 40th anniversary of the Canada Winter Games. Nearly 4,000 athletes, coaches and officials and many thousands of other spectators and media from every part of Canada will travel to Whitehorse to experience the North during the games.

With the announcement of Mr. Antoine as the pan-northern ambassador, the three territorial Premiers and the Whitehorse Host Society are recognizing that this event will be a unique opportunity to showcase the Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories and the many things we have to offer the rest of Canada.

Initially, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Antoine’s work will include coordinating the development of a pan-territorial agreement on a range of potential joint projects. These may include:

a national marketing campaign featuring territorial tourism, cultural and economic development opportunities;

a pan-northern torch relay;

joint sport development programs for athletes, coaches and officials;

joint promotion of northern artists and their works; and,

television coverage of territorial athletes and performers.

Once agreement is reached on the joint projects, Mr. Antoine will lead officials from the three jurisdictions in implementing them over the next two-and-a-half years.

Mr. Chair, I had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Antoine earlier this week and I can report that he is very enthusiastic about this opportunity and is committed to working hard to help all three territories reap the benefits of this great event.

2007 will be the first time the Canada Winter Games have been held north of 60, and will also be the last Canada Winter Games before the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver/Whistler.

Promoting the games will provide our territory with an opportunity to develop coaches, officials and athletes with a view to maximum northern participation at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

To do this successfully will require an investment and the three territorial governments will be seeking out partnerships as a way to realize our goals. The pan-northern ambassador will be approaching the private sector, including businesses and corporations in all three territories, to support this initiative. Mr. Speaker, we encourage all northern companies to work with us to make this event a success.

With his distinguished career as a former Member of this Assembly, a former Premier, a former chief and a prominent hockey player, Mr. Antoine will make a unique contribution to the success of the 2007 Canada Winter Games. I am very pleased that he has agreed to help all northerners take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. McLeod. I am sure I speak for all Members of this House on congratulating Mr. Antoine on that appointment.

Before I go on, I would like to draw attention to the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery of Mr. Tony Whitford, former Speaker of the House.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about the real and lasting benefits that need to be realized from resource development in the Northwest Territories.

Everyone knows that economic activity associated with a project of the magnitude of the Mackenzie gas pipeline is enormous. It would be the envy of any jurisdiction to experience the contracts, the jobs and the boom of such a development. Mr. Speaker, we, as northern leaders, representing the interests of our constituents, cannot be nearsighted. We cannot succumb to the temptation to support development that in the short time, on the good side, will supply us with business, service, transportation, exploration and value-added sectors, but in the long term, will leave us beholden to the goodness of the government-of-the-day in Ottawa for years to come.

We are understandably interested in ensuring that we are poised to benefit from these activities, but can be assured through things such as a sound socioeconomic agreement. It’s the challenge of managing megaprojects and resource development to realize benefits along the way. We are poised and ready to participate in everything from pipe coating to the transportation of tons of materials and supplies needed to build a pipeline. I know the businesses in my riding that I represent are preparing for and anticipating the needs of industry but, Mr. Speaker, there is a bigger picture and it would be irresponsible of this government to ignore that bigger picture.

After the boom of construction, there has to be a lasting residual benefit and a legacy to northerners. That piece is a rightful and fair share of royalties.

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Without the underpinning of near-term predictable revenues from royalties, our ability as northern governments to provide program services and infrastructure is going to be seriously limited. We have already invested a huge amount in preparation for this pipeline and we have done it on our limited resources. Projecting into future needs based on the impact of population growth, social challenges and infrastructure demands, we are going to be seriously fiscally challenged. We need a vision and leadership that is farsighted.

The folly of being nearsighted reminds me of a story in the Bible in the Old Testament about two brothers. The older brother was entitled to his birthright, but because he’d come in from the land and he was so hungry, he gave up his inheritance for a small bowl of soup. Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent from my colleagues to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mrs. Groenewegen, you may conclude your statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. As I said, the older brother came in from the land. He was so hungry that he quickly gave up his inheritance for a bowl of soup, which satisfied his temporary needs. He later tried to recover it as he wept with bitter tears, but it was too late. Just as the resources of Alberta belonged to and benefited Albertans, a fair share of the non-renewable resources of the NWT belong to northerners and the governments that represent them.

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The land and the resources on and under that land are the inheritance of northerners, and that, Mr. Speaker, is not negotiable. When Premier Handley and Minister Roland go to Ottawa, take this message: We were not elected to sell out the inheritance of this generation or generations to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is going to focus on an issue that I’ve raised in the House before and one that I am very interested in seeing addressed. The issue is the establishment of a permanent trust fund for the benefit of all residents of the Northwest Territories.

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Mr. Speaker, as we are all well aware, the Northwest Territories is on the verge of the development of a Mackenzie Valley pipeline. Our government is spending a tremendous amount of money, time and energy on ensuring that we are ready for this megaproject, but the fact still remains that Ottawa will stand to reap the lion’s share of royalties from this pipeline. Over a 30-year period, it amounts to over $21 billion. Over that same 30-year period, the Northwest Territories will receive $900 million. It just does not make sense. It does not make sense that we do not have a fair resource royalty deal with Ottawa. Why can’t Ottawa start putting money away for us into a permanent trust fund so that all northerners will benefit? I’m tired of hearing why they can’t. I want someone in Ottawa to tell us how it can happen.

The resources here are our resources. We deserve and must demand action from Ottawa. The state of Alaska, which has a population of over 600,000 people, has a permanent trust fund and, each year, pays a dividend to every Alaskan. It varies from year to year, Mr. Speaker, from $1,300 to $2,200. Imagine for a minute what a trust fund like the one in Alaska could do for us in the Northwest Territories where our population is just 43,000 persons. What an incentive for persons looking to move here -- teachers, nurses, doctors -- and those who are here would like to stay a little bit longer if we had something like that. It would be a bonus for living here, and the beauty of it is that everyone, aboriginal and non-aboriginal alike, would benefit.

I know the Premier and the government continue their discussions with Ottawa, and everyone is hoping and praying a deal can be struck. Until then, it is my contention that we don’t take no for an answer from Ottawa and that we demand resource royalties be put in trust until a fair solution and agreement can be agreed upon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the recent application by Imperial Oil and the Aboriginal Pipeline Group to construct a Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline and the formation of a joint review panel, it is imperative that this government maximize the amount of available training so that residents are ready for the jobs that will be available.

Past experiences with Dome Petroleum and the construction of the Norman Wells pipeline in particular have shown the Northwest Territories to lack qualified residents and the necessary infrastructure to meet the needs of the oil and gas industry. Sadly, Mr. Speaker, most of the jobs associated with these two projects went to southern Canadians. Mr. Speaker, with the pipeline project beginning its regulatory pace, it is now time for this government to prepare our people for the many jobs in construction or maintaining the pipeline.

We have $15 million for the Aboriginal Skills Employment Partnership Program. We must, in all regions, start training our people. In the Beaufort-Delta, there is talk of a new Aurora College training centre. There is also talk of building a students’ residence to accommodate students from Beaufort-Delta who may be taking training in oil and gas.

Mr. Speaker, there is a solution to the dilemma of available training and accommodation space. In my home town of Tuktoyaktuk, we do have the facilities to accommodate up to 40 students. I speak of the two industrial camps. If the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and the board of governors of Aurora College can allocate some of the available training money sooner rather than later, we could have residents ready for meaningful employment in the construction and ongoing maintenance of the pipeline.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, if we are to realize a net benefit from resource development, I will emphasize that time is of the essence. Let’s get moving on training our people so that this opportunity does not pass us by. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to talk about some of the important environmental concerns related to the Mackenzie gas project.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot fully express the importance of the Mackenzie Valley with regards to the cultural connection it makes between people from the Deh Cho, the Gwich’in, the Sahtu, and the Inuvialuit. Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie Valley contains one of the world’s last great free-running river systems, the Mackenzie River. Aside from being the longest river in Canada, and the Mackenzie Delta being the largest delta in Canada and the second-largest wetland in Canada, the river also plays a significant role in regulating the circulation of the world’s oceans and climate systems. Northern development, the magnitude and the scale of the Mackenzie gas megaproject, will have significant impact leading to the destruction and displacement of wildlife habitat, the fragmentation of migration routes for all of our waterfowl and the disruption of northern harvesting practices and traditions, just to name a few, no matter how many precautionary measures or regulatory regimes are put in place for their protection.

Mr. Speaker, as you and my colleagues may well be aware, there have been conservation efforts and commitments by this government and the federal government in developing a strategy which includes initiatives regarding the protection of a network of culturally and ecologically-significant areas which will be affected by the development of natural resources. I would still like to stress the utmost importance of assuring the people of the Northwest Territories, Canada, and even the world, that regardless of increasing developmental pressure and growing global demands for more environmentally-friendly forms of energy, we will not and cannot jeopardize the diversity and ecological integrity of our eco-regions strictly due to the fact that we owe it to our children, their children, and their children’s children.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to end my statement with a quote from Alfred Taniton, an elder who met with the AOC members during our strategy session in Deline earlier this year. Mr. Taniton, with a short analogy, has always remained with me and surfaces in my mind every time the pipeline project is mentioned to me, and I hope that, by reiterating it today in the House, it will serve as a reminder to us all about the spiritual, cultural, traditional and integral relationship we have with our environment.

Mr. Villeneuve, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement, 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. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to finish off my quote from the elder, Alfred Taniton. I quote, Mr. Speaker, “Mother earth and everything about her is as sensitive to developments and changes as humans are to illnesses and harm. When people scratch themselves and have their skin removed, it affects other parts of our body. Although time will eventually heal the wound, we are always left with a scar which never goes away. This is what the pipeline will do to Mother Earth.” Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak about the need for strong leadership at this crucial time in the Northwest Territories’ history.

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Land claims up and down the valley are either completed or under negotiations. Self-government will soon be a reality in many regions, changing the political landscape of the Northwest Territories. Leaders of First Nations groups across the Northwest Territories are in a strong position to negotiate the terms and conditions of future resource development in the best interests of their people.

Mr. Speaker, the potential benefits of the pipeline are significant. The Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline is expected to bring about the largest economic boom in the history of the Northwest Territories. The economic benefits for the Northwest Territories, if this opportunity is managed correctly, are enormous. Exploration of diamonds and other minerals continues. No doubt, there are more large-scale mining projects in the future.

Mr. Speaker, we are a territory that is rich in resources, and yet many of our people are still struggling to make ends meet. This won’t change unless we can work together to negotiate the very best possible deals with resource companies and with the Government of Canada. I read the following quote about leadership not too long ago, and it struck me as how fitting for this time in the history of the Northwest Territories. I quote, “I started with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” According to the premise of this quote, leadership in the Northwest Territories has done well over the last decade. There are now more leaders working in the best interest of the people of Northwest Territories than ever before. However, as we all move our agendas forward, it is crucial that we not allow ourselves to fall prey to divide-and-conquer tactics by outsiders. We might agree to disagree on some things, but we all have a common interest in making sure we, as northerners, are the primary beneficiaries of resource development.

Mr. Zoe, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

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

Mahsi, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the Aboriginal Pipeline Group has made substantial gains in terms of ensuring aboriginal people of Northwest Territories will benefit from the proposed pipeline. It is a great example of how cooperation can be successful. As leaders of the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Premier has the crucial leadership role in helping the Northwest Territories work together for the benefit of our territory. Time is of essence, Mr. Speaker. If leaders across the Northwest Territories do not rise to the opportunity and come together to ensure NWT residents receive the benefits of our northern resources, we risk losing out on this historic opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the Premier to be a leader among leaders. Now is the time to join forces. It is the Premier’s role to rally the troops. We must all work even more diligently to ensure resource development is to the benefit of the Northwest Territories’ residents. Mahsi.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, 28 years ago, when the first plan was being made to build the Mackenzie Valley pipeline, Judge Thomas Berger was asked to review the socioeconomic impacts the project would have on the people of the North. After hearing all the facts, Justice Berger recommended that the project be postponed and that a 10-year moratorium on all pipeline construction be put into place. He recommended the moratorium because he recognized the fact that northern aboriginal peoples were not ready to engage the pipeline project. They were not in a position to derive any meaningful benefits from it. He felt, after 10 years, that it would be sufficient time to settle all outstanding aboriginal land claims in the Mackenzie Valley, thereby ensuring aboriginal people a meaningful role in the project when it eventually went ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I regret to inform the House that our federal government has fallen far short of Mr. Berger’s recommendation. We have had three times the amount of time Berger gave us and still not all land claims in the Mackenzie Valley have been settled. In that time, we did build a pipeline, the Norman Wells pipeline. As a member of the Liidlii Kue Band Council and a councillor at that time, I remember the experience very well. The Deh Cho Dene didn’t have a settled land claim then either, and the projects happened, just like Justice Berger said it would, without meaningful benefits accruing to aboriginal people.

There were promises of benefits, but none of those promises were ever met. First Nations yet again had to deal with broken promises. This must not be allowed to happen again, and I will do everything I can to ensure that this will not happen again. All aboriginal and northern people must receive direct long-term benefits from the construction of a Mackenzie Valley pipeline and access and benefit agreements that are clearly defined in writing, if not cast in stone. Nothing else will do. This is very imperative. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

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

Honourable colleagues, mahsi cho for allowing me to conclude my Member’s statement. I just want to point out that the North was born on hunting and trapping, and the land provided for us. The animals provided for us and the furs provided us cash. In this modern day and age, the land is still giving us an opportunity to take care of us through the gas, oil and all the resources that are in the North. Here is our opportunity for the land to continue to take care of us, but today we call it resource revenue sharing. I believe firmly that our government has to urge the federal government to say this is a priority for the northern governments. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, the pipeline we are talking about today must benefit all of us. I firmly believe that. Nothing else is acceptable. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, indeed the news is out about the Northwest Territories diamonds, oil and gas, and our exceptional economic situation is making good copy in southern newspapers. Our economic growth is almost 10 times greater than the rest of Canada, and our employment rates are also breaking all records already without the pipeline. In Yellowknife, we have full employment, statistically speaking, already.

Mr. Speaker, the future indeed looks very bright, but there are many in our communities who are very concerned about the social impact the explosion of booming economy from the pipeline development will bring to the NWT, because, Mr. Speaker, we also topped the statistics on all negative indicators as well. We have an extraordinarily high rate in alcohol and drug abuse. We have out-of-control gambling addictions. We have FAS, FAE, and a high rate of suicide among youths. We have an increasing amount of sexually-transmitted diseases, as well, and in all forms of criminal rate we are at the forefront in these unfortunate statistics as well. Mr. Speaker, I must admit to you that this government has not done enough. We have not prepared people in our communities to be ready to take advantage of the economic prosperity that is to come without crippling impacts that could possibly destroy our communities in the process.

Mr. Speaker, our residents all along the Mackenzie Valley corridor are very concerned about what kind of impact the inflow of thousands of transient workers from the South will have on the cultural and social fabric of our small communities. It is vital that, in all their negotiations and at all tables, the socioeconomic impact of this development project remains at a high level of the agenda. Mr. Speaker, I would like to applaud the Native Women’s Association for organizing a conference at the beginning of next month in Fort Providence that will deal…

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…that will deal with these very issues, and there will be a lot of distinguished aboriginal women leaders who will give us a lot of guidance, and we could do good by listening to what they are saying. I would also conclude by recognizing the very good work done by the Status of Women Council of the NWT.

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Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Ms. Lee, you may conclude your statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I would like to conclude by recognizing the very good work done by the Status of Women Council of the NWT who, in July of 2004, released a report titled Review of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Terms of Reference of the Mackenzie Gas Project. It is an excellent report with two very neatly organized tables included in the report that tells us what we need to do, what the mitigating steps are that we could take to get our people ready and to make sure that our people benefit from it in a maximum way. I would just like to say that all the governments at all levels needs to read that and get on with the implementation now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, I now know the uncertainties that come with the financial dependencies on the federal government. This hinders our ability to secure well-funded programs and services for our people, and to control our rich territory.

The size of the government cheques that are given to us can only be seen as the stick and the carrot approach to keep the residents in the North and create a deeply-rooted state of dependency on the federal government. With this kind of attitudinal mind of the feds, it is difficult to plan for the years ahead, let alone for the long term. Do we want to cut programs to be fiscally responsible, or do we want to make investments for the future?

Mr. Speaker, the aboriginal self-governments are going to have the same problems. Our people have invested in the land claim process and the self-government framework agreements. Like everyone else, we like to secure long-lasting agreements for our children, that finally recognize our aboriginal rights to our land.

Mr. Speaker, it will be a huge disappointment if our new governments do not have the financial resources to do their job. The GNWT has some ability to absorb sudden adjustments, but this is not without some pain to the regions. How are smaller regions going to be able to cope? The only answer I can see, Mr. Speaker, is for northern governments to have our own sustainable revenue service charge. Yes, impact and benefits agreements, land access fees and equity ownership in the pipeline will provide our own-source revenues and benefits, but the real security can only come from resource royalties.

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So I tell the federal government, quit robbing from us. How long…

Quit robbing, quit robbing.

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How long are we going to allow this to happen, to continue?

Mr. Speaker, it is a critical time for our precious territory. We have big problems on the radar screen, a pipeline, more diamond mines, and who knows what next. But we only have one chance to get it right, or before we know it our resources will be gone for good. Our land will be scarred, and all the royalties will be in Ottawa, paying for gun registries and sponsorship scandals, while we beg for a few dollars to teach our children…

Shame.

…heal our cuts and look after our elders. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member’s statement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, honourable colleagues. It is no secret, Mr. Speaker, I want to see the Mackenzie Valley pipeline happen. I am happy for the Tlicho and the Akaitcho people for having diamonds on their land. Mr. Speaker, I have to wonder sometimes if these resource development projects go ahead and we do not have a royalty sharing deal, who will really benefit and is it worth it.

Do the honourable thing, Mr. Premier, and put the Crown on notice that the stakes are high in the Northwest Territories and we want a share, a fair share of those stakes. Mr. Speaker, resource revenue sharing has been happening a long time in our country, since the 1800s. It's now high time that we get our fair share deal for the Northwest Territories, period. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. For the past 130 years, the vast lands of the Northwest Territories have been the treasure chest of Canada, the collateral of the nation, with the riches from our forests, rocks and waters. But over the past decades, Mr. Speaker, four provinces and one territory have been carved out of our boundaries. Today, while we are left with a much smaller geography, we are still blessed with the resources that an increasingly hungry world wants, and we have at least two of these. We have energy and we have minerals, and off in the future, Mr. Speaker, let’s look way out there, will be the exploitation of our most precious commodity of all, our vast resources of clean water.

Hear! Hear!

---Applause

The North is also the centre of some of the world's most progressive moves, Mr. Speaker, in democracy and governance. We are trying to make the best of them right here in this Assembly, as we try to forge new alliances between the indigenous peoples of northern Canada and newer Canadians from other nations. We have been, and will continue to be, the most exciting place to live in Canada, if the dynamics of our politics, our economy and our societies evolve.

Just weeks ago, Mr. Speaker, we heard that Canada has awakened to these factors and is calling for a new vision and a new purpose to be struck in a new national strategy for the North. It has been 50 years since this was done. It is an exciting and encouraging opportunity for us, but we must recognize that this will not happen overnight. Indeed, it will be years before the fruits of such a bold initiative begin to take effect. In the meantime though, our economic chance to make most of this happen is being exploited at astonishing rates with precious little left for us.

Last year alone, Mr. Speaker, almost $2.3 billion in diamonds, gold, and oil and gas was taken from our lands; more than twice the value of all the services of this government, in one year, gone. The royalties stream from this amounted to some $200 million flowing into federal coffers that we have learned are already staggering under an astonishing $9.1 billion surplus. Our share of this, at current levels, about $8 million; $8 million out of $200 million.

Mr. Braden, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.