Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Presently, there is great excitement in the Northwest Territories. We have tremendous potential for new revenue to be generated from the development and transport of northern hydroelectricity and oil and gas to southern markets. We see a future where we move from being dependent upon funding from the Government of Canada to independence and a future where Northerners control our lands and resources.
Mr. Speaker, Minister Handley spoke eloquently earlier today about the potential economic benefits and the number of jobs on the horizon in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, hand in hand with independence goes responsibility -- a responsibility to ensure that the people of the Northwest Territories benefit from the development of our resources.
Today we are focusing on energy and continuing along this line, it is only reasonable that the people of the Northwest Territories benefit directly from the development of our energy reserves. People of the North should pay lower rates for energy resources that are produced in the North.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories will never be able to control the North American price for heating oil, gasoline, electricity, oil or natural gas. However, Mr. Speaker, we can use the development of our resources to make the lives of northern people better. Through an energy strategy, we can ensure that the development of our energy resources will result in a reduced price for these commodities for our people.
Further, Mr. Speaker, most good things come to an end. This is also applicable to non-renewable resources. There will be a time when our oil and gas supplies will run out, and our energy strategy must also plan for this eventuality.
We must also be careful that as we help to keep prices low for essential energy, we are not encouraging the overuse of our resources. There needs to be a balanced approach that recognizes how important it is to our northern environment that we look for alternative forms of energy for our residents. I was pleased to hear Minister Handley talk about this in his statement earlier today.
Throughout the North, elders are raising alarm over the visible signs of global warming and the affect that greenhouse gases are having on the Northwest Territories. Yet even though Minister Handley spoke of the need to protect the environment today, we have done little as a government to encourage reduced production of greenhouse gases. We do not have an energy strategy yet that sets out this as the direction in which we want to head.
Mr. Speaker, we need an energy strategy that will allow our residents to benefit from the reduced costs of energy that originates in the North, whether it be directly through rebate or through a rate stabilization fund.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.