Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the people of the western arctic from Fort Smith all the way up to the Mackenzie Delta, have, and are continuing to, experience the major effects to our water ways resulting from the release of huge amounts of water from the Bennett Dam as a result of their dam structural problems. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to see that we are carrying on in the same manner that we did prior to the New Year. I would have been surprised if we were not.
Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue, in my opinion. The waterways that run north and south through the western arctic are the life blood of the land. Mr. Speaker, there has been no consultation or warning with regards to the water levels. Water levels have risen dramatically, and the impact is felt all the way to the Arctic Ocean, and it is, and will continue to be, significant. Repairs are not anticipated to be completed until sometime next summer. When I talk about impact, Mr. Speaker, I am referring to things like the effects on fish and wildlife, flooding this spring, shelf ice, and possible loss of life and limb to those who use the land.
This issue is of significant concern that the Mayor Bevington from Fort Smith raised the issue of Mr. Marquis' office when we were in Ottawa in December. Representatives from the Bennett Dam will be in Fort Smith tomorrow night to talk about this issue which is much more than a community issue. Representatives are coming, hopefully, from around the South Slave. The Minister has indicated, Mr. Kakfwi, from RWED, will be there and hopefully the chairman from the Resource Committee.
We have to impress upon the people from Bennett Dam that they have an obligation and responsibility to the down stream inhabitants that they just cannot arbitrarily and negatively impact on major waterways with no consultation and they have to be reminded that they have to come up with the process to satisfy those responsibilities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.