Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to share the history of an organization within my region which is benefiting the North in two ways: by providing sustainable hydroelectric power and by contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases in the Northwest Territories. In the early 1990's, the Dogrib people became involved with the generation of electrical power on their traditional lands. They invested heavily in infrastructure, and through a joint partnership with the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, they developed the Snare Lake hydroelectric generating plant, which is just north of Rae-Edzo.

One of the main goals of the partnership was to build a power plant that could meet the electricity demand of customers in the Dogrib region. It was also recognized that this partnership would contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases in the Northwest Territories. In 1996, the Dogrib Power Corporation signed a 65-year lease with the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. This provided the Dogrib Corporation with a guaranteed financial return on its investment. Next year the plant will celebrate five years of operation. It continues to generate a large volume of sustainable hydroelectricity and by next year, the equivalent of more than 100,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions will have been avoided as a result of this hydroelectricity being generated.

The Dogrib Power Corporation is an excellent example of how government and industry can work together with aboriginal people so that everybody wins. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.