Debates of October 21, 2004 (day 25)

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.

---Applause