Debates of February 11, 2005 (day 34)

 Good morning.  Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  I listened with a great deal of interest, and I think a number of people across the Northwest Territories did this morning, to the CBC Radio interview with Randy Henderson and Anna Maria Tremonte and the former Justice Thomas Berger when they visited the question:  Is the NWT ready now for the Mackenzie Valley pipeline?  Is now the right time for the Mackenzie pipeline?

The survey, over the course of 40 minutes of phone-in air time, was obviously not scientific or all-encompassing, but it gave a very fascinating snapshot of where the mood may be today.  The result of that short radio survey, Mr. Speaker, was, it seemed to me, a resounding no, the Northwest Territories is not ready. The principal concerns raised were on the social impact front.

You know, we are never really ready to undertake big, significant, life-changing events.  I look back and ask myself was I really ever ready to get married?  Well, you know, that was a big step, but 27 years later, I have, I believe, a very successful marriage. Was I able to run for politics? No, not really. What was it that helped us as families or communities do these things? It’s trust, Mr. Speaker. Unless there is trust amongst us, our families and our colleagues, our workmates, our partners, that we won’t fail each other, we won’t let each other down, we won’t abandon and betray each other, and then we will be able to do amazing things.

Today, Mr. Speaker, it seems that that level of trust is not there with this Mackenzie Valley pipeline. It’s sad to see that, but we are engaged in so many processes to look for that, to seek it, to find it, to affirm it. I believe we can get there, but let’s not take for granted that we are ready for this pipeline, because I believe we are not and we heard that this morning on the CBC. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause