Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The report of the Joint Review Panel on the Mackenzie Gas Project is expected within the next two months. In past years, requests for new MGP-related departmental funding has frequently been turned down because we couldn’t be sure the project would go ahead. Meanwhile, this government has trumpeted its support for the project, apparently on any terms.
The MGP would be one of the biggest events in the history of the NWT and, typically for mega projects here, the federal government stands to collect bounteous royalty revenues while the NWT faces social and environmental impact costs, not to mention the huge infrastructure, training and mitigation costs that will result from the project. The release of the JRP project will create an immediate expectation on this government for a timely reaction to its findings and recommendations.
I have been raising the point of Members’ participation in shaping the major policy positions of this government. This issue is too big and its consequences too far-reaching for the government to respond to its details without the input of Regular Members.
While expectations will be high, the time frames are sufficient to allow the required thoughtful and considered response rather than an immediate and desperate yes-at-any-cost response. We cannot continue to rely on poorly funded NGOs to lead the analysis of impacts and costs, though their input will be key once again. We must ensure that the MGP will not once again create a boom that makes it too expensive for our citizens to live in their own communities.
Independent assessments have already pointed out that there is inadequate analysis of socio-economic impacts resulting from the project. How will the project’s doubling of NWT greenhouse gas emissions be mitigated? At a minimum, we must assess whether the JRP report has indeed addressed the shortcomings, which will require careful and detailed analysis.
Mr. Speaker, this government cannot blindly endorse a report without a firm plan for ensuring benefits and for dealing with the costs and impacts that will also flow through our citizens. I will be calling on the Ministers of ENR and ITI to outline plans for reviews and analysis and how Regular Members will be involved in analysis and development of a government response and position. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
