Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I will offer general remarks outlining the approach I will take to our debate on the report of the Joint Review Panel. First I want to thank and congratulate the members of the panel for their thorough and dedicated work and thoughtful reflection of the mass of information and views presented.

Mr. Speaker, this huge report and its 176 recommendations reflect the many economic, social, cultural and environmental elements of this massive project. But for all its complexities, the result can really be summarized very simply. The report recommendations are summed up with a straightforward statement that if the project is to proceed on a basis of sustainable development, all of the 176 recommendations must be carried out. Put another way, Mr. Speaker, the panel has said

that unless all the recommendations are met, the project shouldn’t be done.

We are now at the point where governments and interveners are reviewing those recommendations and will offer individual views on their merits to the National Energy Board. The regulatory approach of a Joint Review Panel is unique and, at this point in the process, prompts a very major concern for me. Interveners must make their final comments and make them before the major comments of governments are known. Furthermore, the process does not now require that the comments of governments be made public before they are forwarded to the NEB.

In order for the process to proceed in a transparent and public manner, the comments of governments must be made public as soon as they are ready so that all interested people will have an opportunity to comment on the positions of government.

My other major concern is costs. Of the 176 recommendations, 52 involved huge responsibility to fall upon this government. In order to comment on the recommendations, the huge costs of meeting these recommendations must be known. The cost of meeting these responsibilities will be huge and it is certain that this government will not be able to carry out recommendations without major new resources. This puts the issues of increased resource revenues, increased territorial government revenues and a very large increase in territorial government capacity at the forefront. Without the money and capacity, we will never be able to do the work involved. It is essential that our Minister now begin getting confirmed commitments from the federal government for the revenues needed to meet these responsibilities.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.