Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, greetings to you and all my colleagues, as once again we gather in the House to do important business. Today I begin by reviewing my perspectives and some priorities for this session.
Caribou play a central role in the life of most Northerners, and we are facing some dire situations resulting from a failure to manage this resource properly. We must stop herd declines and build cooperative conservation while political issues get resolved through separate discussions.
As economic recovery has begun in the North, I see the need for renewed focus on economic diversification that will provide more stability for the northern economy at less environmental cost.
Development of biomass projects for heating could be major support to local economies providing labour intensive business development and replacing fossil fuels with clean energy. Enhanced fisheries and agriculture have roles to play. Avalon Minerals’ Nechalacho rare earth metals project and Fortune Minerals’ NICO proposal present regional development opportunities. Maximum benefits will only result if we insist on local renewable energy and human resources for sustainable development.
We have many independent programs for people living in poverty, but we do not have a comprehensive, coordinated and cross-departmental poverty reduction strategy. Other jurisdictions are realizing significant achievements with this approach. As I highlighted last session, we need an NWT anti-poverty strategy.
Our archaic approach to energy supply, with its missed opportunities, must end. Let’s take the NTPC and rate reviews and build an intelligent energy future. Small hydro developments can serve our communities and replace costly fossil fuel power with clean and cheaper energy.
An ambitious and fully implemented biomass strategy is another good step. Meaningful progress on Taltson hydro could contribute to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, extend the life and sustainability of our diamond mines and promote success of aboriginal corporations. It is abundantly clear that we must set and plan to meet science-based greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the results of the housing subsidy review and the housing needs surveys. We must use this information to make immediate improvements in the quality, cost and accessibility of public housing. I see the need for new revenues to help with housing costs. It is not too early…
Mr. Bromley, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted.
It is not too early at all to see the implementation of the Heritage Fund. The public and Members are calling for full value from resource revenues and saving some of these funds to build a future. Resources and revenues leave the NWT faster each year. Mines pay down their development costs in no time, yielding huge profits. A revised resource revenue tax is a simple, quick answer to our years of complaint over lost revenues.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, the Joint Review Panel’s report on the Mackenzie Gas Project highlights issues of government capacity and oversight. The panel said all of its recommendations must be met if the project is to go ahead. There is enormous work to be done quickly if we are to responsibly contribute to the next stage in realizing the panel’s vision of a truly sustainable development project. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
