Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I began the week with my reply to the Budget Address speaking about energy and economic development, and I'll continue today on energy security, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, non-renewables are still important to the Beaufort Delta, have been for quite some time and will be for quite some time. Given the potential shift in the federal government and their thinking around LNG development and, regardless of who forms the next government, Mr. Speaker, we heard in the Liberal leadership race, again, speaking about the importance of LNG production as we move forward so, again, Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier in the week, our energy strategy or action plan has been solely focused on renewable, but the reality is we are still heavily dependent on diesel, and we all know, Mr. Speaker, there are other cleaner renewable options other than diesel.
Given the work that we've seen the Inuvialuit do in the Beaufort Delta around the M18 project which is now fully funded, Mr. Speaker, and certainly well underway, it's time for us as a government to, again, engage with the significant discovery license holders in the Beaufort Delta and make it a priority of this government to have those conversations and to see what we can do as a government to move this industry forward. We have the MDLNG report, Mr. Speaker, that was tabled here, I think, in 2022, and it clearly states that it is feasible to develop natural gas in the Beaufort Delta. But I don't think, Mr. Speaker, we have a plan.
How are we supporting energy, Mr. Speaker; we have to ask ourselves. We are spending millions on renewable energy initiatives. And I understand that that those come with economic benefits as well. They come with jobs, they come with a lot of opportunities. They also come with a lot of money spent on consultants and likely a lot of studies that come with those, Mr. Speaker. But what I haven't seen is how an analysis or what that means for residents who are not able to take advantage of renewable energy, what's it doing to those grids, what's happening in those regions. I haven't seen that analysis, Mr. Speaker, what will that cost be to the people that still rely on non-renewables to heat their homes.
Mr. Speaker, I know we've spoke in this House about working groups for regions. I think this is a prime example of what we can do if we were to put a working group together for the Beaufort Delta, including Indigenous governments of course, community leadership, and find potential solutions to meet with industry, to meet with federal government, to look at what we can do to continue our true energy action plan that includes all energy in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.
