Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to speak about the extension of the Ingraham Trail from Tibbett Lake to Lockhart Lake, which is located about 151 kilometres north of Tibbett Lake. This extension also has been referred to as a seasonal overland route into the Slave Geological Province.
Mr. Speaker, there are many reasons why our government should pursue this new road construction. I believe the time is right to get it started. The extension is expected to come in at just under $200 million. This, hopefully, will lead to opportunities for local businesses and contractors to do the work, and also opportunities for training and workforce development. This project also will have to have partners in order to proceed. Industry, the federal government, aboriginal governments and the Government of the Northwest Territories will all need to work together to make this road extension a reality.
It remains to be seen as to what this road would do in terms of potential revenue for the Government of the Northwest Territories, but it will certainly increase the life of the existing mines and exploration. Mr. Speaker, that is the key. Much like the Mackenzie Gas Project, it will be a basin opening project. A road into the heart of the mineral rich Slave Geological Province will open up the area for more exploration and could very well make the difference in whether a mineral deposit becomes economically viable to mine. Mr. Speaker, the potential in the area is absolutely immense.
I have said before that the future of our economy here in the Northwest Territories will depend greatly on resource development and, obviously, the potential development in the Slave Geological Province will hopefully one day help fund future government operations.
Mr. Speaker, as a government, we also need to continue to work with aboriginal governments and the federal government to work out a resource revenue sharing arrangement that is long overdue. Mr. Speaker, given the discussions that are currently underway on the extension of this road into the Slave Geological Province, this resource revenue sharing agreement is much more important today than it ever was before. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe. Mr. Beaulieu.
