Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The idea of the Energy Strategy is to look at the resources of the Northwest Territories -- oil, gas and hydro potential -- and the needs that we have both domestically and in the business and industrial sectors; as well as the export potential of these resources and the environmental aspect of the development of energy, the transmission, the generation and the consumption of it.
As well as the cost of those in the different forms that are available in the different communities we have, and how the people of the Northwest Territories would like to see these used at the local level, the regional level, the territorial, and as one Member said, the potential for domestic purposes.
The secretariat would do an assessment of what has been done todate, a state of affairs in our communities, nationally and internationally in the context of the United States, in the context of the energy market that is out there; and develop some suggestions on how we should develop an energy policy that can meet the needs and interests of our people at the community level, and the regional interests that we have that are sometimes different from one another, meet the needs of our business sector, the industrial sector as well as provide for some benefits to government in terms of revenue. As well as the aboriginal governments, who we would likely want to partner with. Also, the environmental aspect of energy in the exploration, development, production and possible export of it. The ways in which we can provide for the consumption of energy in a way that is environmentally friendly, affordable and fair for all people of the Northwest Territories.
Also, provide for returns to government and more importantly, a policy that could then be used to assure people that this government and perhaps even the partnership governments we have, will commit to using this hopefully broad, comprehensive, well-thought out, credible, realistic, affordable and simple policy to be used by all of us for generations to come. Thank you.