Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the issue around economic development, especially pipelines. Mr. Speaker, coming from a region that a number of years ago was considered to be on the brink of shutdown, the community of Inuvik, when after the last oil and gas boom in the Delta, the oil companies had shut down and pulled out. The Canadian Forces Services shut down the base there. Then, the Government of the Northwest Territories started pulling out positions.
You could walk down the streets of Inuvik and you would rarely run into anyone with excitement and a jump in their footsteps. Nowadays, we have that, Mr. Speaker. Again, it is because of the private sector and somewhat to this government as well.
Mr. Speaker, the issue around pipelines, as we know, there is a real push in the Northwest Territories now for development and developing a pipeline that would go down the valley. Involved in that is the aboriginal people of the Northwest Territories, who were not before. Twenty-five years ago when the Berger Inquiry went around the valley and said no more development until the people are ready to go, Mr. Speaker, the people of the Delta have been able to take advantage of what they have been able to do over the last 25 years. Yet we now have people in the business sector involved in joint ventures with a lot of the companies. Mr. Speaker, I think that potential is there throughout the Northwest Territories if we take the right steps.
One of the concerns that I would have, Mr. Speaker, is again because I am up from the northern part of this country, is that we are ready to go and different places in the Northwest Territories, the groups are at different levels of self-government discussions and land claims. That could once again possibly shut the door.
I think we need to get information out there for ourselves and residents of the Northwest Territories to ensure that we have all the information, the accurate information, when it comes to dealing with these mega-projects. I will have questions for the appropriate Minister during question period. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause