Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to my colleagues. As a Member of this Assembly representing this particular area I ask that this government cooperate to the fullest extent with the IPC towards the successful completion
of this project. Mr. Speaker, I wish to point here that it is not as if this group is asking for an unreasonable subsidy from this government such as the BIP or, heaven forbid, a clothing allowance. All they are asking for is a little cooperation from the government to the benefit of all local residents.
Mr. Speaker, I believe the most significant fact here is not the scope of the project itself, but rather the fact that this project is being undertaken by a 100 percent aboriginal group for the benefit of the people in the region and in the NWT as well. This is solid evidence of an aboriginal land claims group utilizing the natural resources obtained through claims negotiations for the benefit of themselves and other Canadians as well. The Inuvialuit can lay claim to being the first aboriginal group to undertake the production of petroleum products in the NWT and for the direct benefit of NWT residents. The Inuvik gas project, when completed and the gas is flowing, will serve to show that it is possible to construct pipelines safely north of the Arctic Circle. The oil and gas industry is a risky business at best, but this group of people are willing to take reasonable risk for the benefit of the Inuvialuit and the NWT in general.
Mr. Speaker, the Ikhil gas reserves represent a very small portion of the overall proven gas reserves in the Mackenzie Delta and Beaufort Sea. What is unique about this reserve is that it is situated on Inuvialuit 7(1)a lands, therefore the Inuvialuits own it, lock stock and barrel, including the royalties.
There are trillions of cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves in the Parson Lake area located within 15 miles of the Ikhil Reserve but the federal government along with the major oil companies who hold the development rights have chosen to just sit on these resources rather than develop them to the benefit of the country.
Mr. Speaker, I, for one, feel that if the federal government is not willing and ready to develop the resources of this territory located on federal lands than they should turn these resources over to this government for disposal and development. Further more, if this government cannot figure out what to do with the resources, why then turn them over to the Inuvialuit? They will do something with them I can assure you. Who knows they may even give this government a deal on the price when we sell this gas back to them. Mr. Speaker, as an Inuvialuit beneficiary representing a riding consisting of a major portion of the Inuvialuit settlement area I feel privileged to be able to make this statement today. I hope the rest of the Members of this Assembly will join me in congratulating this very ambitious claims group on their achievements today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause