Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, will be supporting the motion. I, for one, feel that this project is long overdue. I think as a government we have to make this project a top priority of the 16th Assembly. We have to send the
message loud and clear to Ottawa that it is a top priority and that we need federal investment for this major project.
Mr. Speaker, this highway was serving back in the ‘70s. Even during our land claims negotiation talks this highway was withdrawn from those negotiations to allow for the right-of-way of the Mackenzie Highway to stay intact and that those
agreements clearly defined that right-of-way for the Mackenzie Highway.
Mr. Speaker, this is going to be one of the biggest capital projects for the Government of the Northwest Territories in history. We’re looking at somewhere in the range of $1.8 billion to possibly $2 billion at the end of the day. Mr. Speaker, no other project was bigger than that except for the Mackenzie pipeline, which is $16 billion. Again, Mr. Speaker, there are ways of economy of scale by doing this jointly along with the Mackenzie Highway pipeline construction and the highway construction which can reduce the cost.
Mr. Speaker, more importantly, we can start this work tomorrow by way of working on this project from the north, from the south, between the communities up and down the valley and making those connections where we’ve started with the bridge projects and now just start joining the points along the way.
Mr. Speaker, this will stimulate the economy of the Northwest Territories. Especially now with the downturn of what we’re seeing in the oil and gas industry, the mining industry, this is a perfect time for the Government of the Northwest Territories to get the message to Ottawa that this investment will only improve the economy of Canada and it will also benefit all Canadians. Mr. Speaker, there are opportunities by way of job training. People have been able to work within these construction camps and develop the infrastructure that’s going to be needed to construct future developments.
Mr. Speaker, earlier on in my Member’s statement I touched on what it costs to drill one well in the Mackenzie Valley. It’s $30 million to drill one well. In Alberta, somewhere in the range of $300,000. I think that’s the challenge that people that do invest in the North to develop the industry in regard to oil and gas and mining, the bottom line is what will it cost us. I think with a highway it will reduce those costs, it will bring certainty by way of knowing what those costs actually are and, more importantly, deal with the economic challenges we’re facing in the North with the high costs of putting in winter roads, the high costs of maintaining ice crossings and the high costs in regard to opening up resource rich areas because of logistical challenges where we’re seeing more and more winter roads with shorter seasons.
Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important that we as government send the message loud and clear to Ottawa and ensure that we do make the investment, but also, more importantly, show that that investment has to be there for the well-being of all Northerners and Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that working together with the Mackenzie Aboriginal Corporation and this government should be jointly going to Ottawa rather than individually. I think that’s half the problem, is that we’re not speaking from the same page.
Mr. Speaker, today there are ways of building infrastructure in Canada and it’s called P3s. Mr. Speaker, I was surprised to see on our trip to Manitoba a couple of months ago in regard to checking out the hydro industry, an aboriginal company built a road 50 kilometres for $20 million. I was very much impressed with the workmanship of the aboriginal communities but, more importantly, that the provinces have basically bought on to allow these aboriginal corporations to build infrastructure in the different provinces. I think that’s something that we have to do in the Northwest Territories by way of supporting that idea and finding ways to finance this project. Yes, it is a major capital expenditure, but I believe that if we extend it over 50 years or even 60 years, you are able to pay down this capital expense knowing that it will give you year-round access to communities and if the movement of goods and services and people.
Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important to realize that this will not only stimulate our communities, it will stimulate our other economies from tourism, in regard to oil and gas, our renewable and non-renewable sectors. I think that we do have to be able to make this capital investment now knowing that the time is right, the efforts are there, and with the Mackenzie Aboriginal Corporation and this government working jointly together lobbying Ottawa to move this project. If not, let’s find a way to finance it internally by other investors. Like I mentioned, this is an aboriginal partnership from the Deh Cho to the Sahtu to the Gwich’in to the IRC regions, and I believe they are willing to find the capital that’s needed to build this. I think we do have to move on that, so I will be supporting the motion, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much.