Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This question was asked on February 20 by Mr. Pudlat. It concerns funding to assist the environmental committees and residents of Sanikiluaq to deal with the environmental review of the Great Whale hydroelectric project. The Government of the Northwest Territories, through the Department of Renewable Resources, has provided a total of $25,000 to support the participation of the environmental committee and residents of Sanikiluaq prepare for the environmental review of the Great Whale hydroelectric project.
Specifically, the government has: 1) provided the Sanikiluaq environmental committee with $10,000 in 1990 to send representatives to meetings in Great Whale and Montreal; and 2) contributed $15,000 in the 1991-92 fiscal year to the hamlet of Sanikiluaq to support their involvement in preliminary meetings prior to the public review process and the availability of intervenor funding.
The government has also: 1) committed $15,000 over two years to support the cumulative impact study of the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee, Rawson Academy of Aquatic Sciences and the Sanikiluaq environmental committee. The Sanikiluaq environmental committee will take the lead in examining traditional knowledge of the area; and 2) retained the services of the Rawson Academy of Aquatic Sciences to obtain expert advice on water-related issues.
A fund of two million dollars, financed equally by the Government of Canada and Quebec, will be available to assist eligible parties or individuals in the assessment and review of the project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.