Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A recent news release on the topic of the Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline regulatory process requires this government to give certainty to the influence it has over the environmental assessment for the pipeline. Mr. Speaker, a speculative time frame and a series of deadlines raises enormous concerns for the investment and the exploration sector that my riding of Inuvik Twin Lakes so much relies on. Of great importance is the concern that a spokesman for Imperial Oil says delays in the regulatory process could derail the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline. The report also says that Imperial Oil is looking at renewed prospects of Alaskan gas coming to market.
Mr. Speaker, I have often spoken about our level of industrial investment in the Northwest Territories, and now I feel it's time to step into the influential role that we must play to support a Mackenzie Valley pipeline. Failing this, exploration for oil and gas could conceivably falter as it did in the mid-80s to the early 2000s.
Inuvik Twin Lakes has always been on record to support the oil and gas sector, so let's put this on the priority list of this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause