Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This afternoon, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Morin made a Minister's statement about using our own people and our own resources to solve our own problems. My statement this afternoon, Mr. Speaker, is on a similar theme.
Last Saturday, Mr. Speaker, I joined people from the Power Corporation, utility and mining companies, as well as Dogrib leaders on a visit to the Snare River hydro project. Mr. Whitford already referred to this visit yesterday. It was meaningful for him because he had been there early in his career with the Power Corporation 30 years ago. The visit was meaningful for me too, Mr. Speaker, because I've had a lifelong interest in northern responsible government and northern self-sufficiency.
Mr. Speaker, I'm delighted to see the development of our hydro potential. Although there will always be critics of man's attempts to harness the forces of nature, I believe hydro is one of the most responsible ways of generating power. It is clean and sustainable. The future of Yellowknife and the Dogrib people, although many Yellowknifers don't realize it yet, are very closely connected. The Dogrib own much of the land and will have a major say in development in the Yellowknife region. The Snare hydro project is exciting, Mr. Speaker. It's not huge or overwhelming, you can understand it, and it is much like others throughout the world which are a little bit overwhelming to the average individual.
The Snare project was begun over 40 years ago. We have learned from the experience. Now as the city of Yellowknife enjoys rapid growth and we seem on the verge of increased industrial activity in the region, it is nice to see the Dogrib people and the various companies planning to meet our future energy needs. It's nice to see groups working in harmony on such an important project. Soon, hopefully, Yellowknife will no longer be dependent on imported diesel to generate power. It's a perfect example of import replacement, which we all agree is one of the keys to our future economic well-being.
Using our own resources and our own people is the major road to economic self-sufficiency.
I was told over the weekend, Mr. Speaker, that we are in danger of losing the kind of harmony that we need to solve all our problems, but this is one example of where we are succeeding. Thank you.
---Applause