Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The voice of the NWT, the people of the NWT have expressed serious concern about fracturing the earth for oil. They’ve signed petitions by the hundreds, they’ve passed resolutions calling for comprehensive reviews or fracking bans in their areas via resolutions at the Sahtu and Gwich’in assemblies. By the hundreds they’ve written letters to authorities and asked their MLAs to call for a review, and indeed some MLAs have.
The Yukon First Nations banned fracking. Old Crow banned fracking. Our people with a new voice, supposedly devolved from Ottawa, have called for a comprehensive review. And this government’s response? No. We believe we can frack without significant impacts; we are the government, trust us. Your input? We’ll let you know.
The Minister of Finance’s frequent calls in the past for the government to respond to moral if not political responsibilities, the requirement for environmental review if there “might be public concern” according to the MVRMA or any newly enhanced responsibility to respond to the public are simply not on.
Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Quebec, PEI, Ireland, all those other states and countries with moratoriums or bans, the Council of Canadians Academy’s report? Unlike our Cabinet, the presumption is that these people are off track and this government can regulate it better to avoid their concerns.
The Yukon process of a select MLA committee, public meetings and transcripts of proceedings with diverse experts in all relevant areas? Completely unnecessary. In fact, we just want to talk about how to frack and let’s not bother with pesky little questions like are the risks of fracking acceptable in the first place. Is this what we are hearing from a traditionally paternalistic, colonial federal government? Nope. Incredibly, this is our own government talking, our government with its brand new authority devolved from the federal government so Northerners’ voices can be heard more clearly and more effectively. Yet to so many, and myself included, this response is clearly colonial and paternalistic.
So now we know devolution gives greater power to the Premier and to the biggest promoter of fossil fuel development, Minister Ramsay. Taxpayers pay the Minister’s and Premier’s travels around the world to entice fossil fuel developers, declaring the NWT open for business.
I request unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.
---Unanimous consent granted
Taxpayers pay the Minister’s and Premier’s travels around the world to entice fossil fuel developers, declaring the NWT open for business. Then the Minister returns home, dons his regulator hat and regulates these same corporations. I ask you, are there questions to be raised here? All this for fossil fuels whose combustion is known to be frying the earth and whose pursuit leaves the land and many people devastated in its wake. The people know what is needed, but they are being effectively silenced.
Citizens of the NWT, rest easy, your government is on the job. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Still a question arises: Why? Why will this government refuse to take a transparent and objective look at this controversial practice? Addiction has been defined as knowingly indulging in something repeatedly when it gives short-term gratification yet devastating long-term harm. Could that be it, Mr. Speaker? I simply don’t know, but I know our record on dealing with addictions. I will have questions. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
