Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there’s a lot of activity in the North right now. Spring is in the air and there is excitement and optimism about our economy. At a recent Meet the North Conference in Edmonton, I have never seen more networking and deal making going on. There is an expectancy surrounding the possibilities of the Mackenzie gas project. The Joint Review Panel will be in Hay River next week to commence their hearings in our region.
Amid all this flurry of activity, though, there hangs a backdrop of uncertainty as to how northerners are going to benefit from resource development. The development agenda is out in front of the agenda on devolution and resource revenue sharing.
Some northerners say that we will benefit through opportunities for northern business and this will be assured through a comprehensive socio-economic agreement. Some say that we’ll only realize long-term benefits through an equity position in the pipeline itself. Others say that levying a property-type tax is the answer. Still others would argue for regionally negotiated access and benefit agreements. These are just some of the ways proposed in which northerners could benefit from resource development. I say "could," Mr. Speaker, because we’re arguably a long ways away from these avenues being nailed down.
So what would it take to conclude these discussions and negotiations? Well, it would take leadership and support of that leadership. It would be an understatement to say that anyone doing business in the North might be confused by northern politics. When our Premier goes to Ottawa to promote devolution and resource revenue sharing positions someone is sure to get their name and their picture in the media right after declaring to the world that he does not speak for us. Some support a unified voice for aboriginal government through the Aboriginal Summit, but then we’ve heard grumblings that the chiefs don’t support their positions. The Dene Nation was another institution that was going to unify the voices of our northern regions, but one might wonder about the credibility of an organization that has been trying to remove their democratically elected chief since the day she went into office.
Development is coming and we can maximize benefit to northerners or not. It might be interesting to consider how much more effectively we could advance our agenda if we could support and respect the leadership that is in place and that has been elected to speak for us in all of our respective governments and organizations. If you think you can do a better job than the person who’s doing it now, I’ll tell you what, when it comes election time, you run and you show us. But in the meantime, in order to advance our agenda, let’s support the people that are in office now. Thank you.
---Applause
