Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government-proposed investment in energy is good news for the Northwest Territories. I’m pleased to see that the plans include funding for a feasibility study for the hydro potential on the Bear River and conversion to natural gas in Fort Good Hope and Tulita. These projects, if they move into development stage, will benefit the Sahtu and reduce our dependency on expensive and polluting fossil fuels.
While these projects get ahead in the right direction, it will take many years before they have any direct impact on the residents and the environment. People in the Sahtu want immediate solutions that can help them reduce their energy costs and consumption as quickly as possible. It seems that many initiatives under the energy priority framework will have more immediate benefits to the people who live in the southern part of the Territory. They already benefit from cheaper electricity costs and each year have access to alternative energy solutions like the wood pellet stoves and boilers.
For this energy framework to have real meaning, it is important that the smaller, more isolated communities have the tools they need to use energy wisely and efficiently. I hope that the new Biomass Strategy and other energy initiatives will have direct support for the people of the Sahtu. We need to balance these initiatives with investments that can make an immediate difference for our people in the Sahtu. I’ll have questions for the Minister responsible for the energy corporation at the appropriate time.