Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, mining is the largest economic driver in Canada's Arctic. In the final days of 2022, the federal government introduced the Canadian Critical Mineral Strategy that it says will increase the supply of responsibly sourced critical minerals and support the development of domestic and global value chains for the green and digital economy. According to the federal government, critical minerals represent a generational opportunity for Canada's workers, economy, and net zero future. But looking to Canada's critical mineral goals, it is clear they hinge on the North's critical mineral mining success. Of Canada's 31 critical minerals, six are potentially prioritized for this federal government's strategy, and they are found in our backyard.
To achieve its strategy, the federal government will push five core objectives:
Driving research, innovation and exploration; accelerating project development;
Building sustainable infrastructure;
Advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples;
Growing a diverse workforce and prosperous communities; and
Strengthening global leadership and security.
From solar panels to sunny conductors, wind turbines to advanced batteries for storage and transportation, the world is looking for critical minerals to build energy alternatives. Without critical minerals, Canada states there is no energy transition. Ironically, Mr. Speaker, keeping some potential investors on the sidelines of NWT critical mineral projects is access to clean energy to mine these minerals. We have ourselves the mining version of the chicken or the egg; or, in this case, clean energy or the minerals make the clean energy. Either way, Canada's North, and our backyard, is the holy grail to helping Ottawa achieve its critical mineral strategy goals and our own next economic turn. Federal Budget 2022 includes up $1.50 billion for infrastructure development specific for critical mineral supply chains.
So Mr. Speaker, is not Ottawa not laying the groundwork for its own strategy success? Are they unprepared to fund 100 percent dollars to achieve their critical mineral infrastructure needs? Or is the GNWT simply not asking for or spending the dollars needed to create energy alternatives north of 60? Given the time it takes to move a project from exploration to production and secure the right investors, the time for energy alternative progress was yesterday. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Member for Nahendeh.
