Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This week Avalon Rare Minerals is having hearings on their project, both in Yellowknife and in Fort Resolution, and I have an opportunity this evening to make a presentation at the hearing in support of the project at Thor Lake.

Hay River is looking forward to the opportunity that this project represents. There’s a great deal of optimism for employment as well as the small business opportunities in Hay River, and all the Hay River entrepreneurs are looking forward to this project and the opportunities it brings.

The Avalon project will create a hydromat facility in the old Pine Point site area where there hasn’t been any activity since the 1980s. This project will also bring jobs not only to the north side where the mine project is, but the hydromat. It not only brings job opportunities but it also brings training; training that some of our youth need for the future in the mining industry, they can bring forward to not only this project but other projects to come forward.

This project also brings opportunities in the Hay River area for pre-staging where we can actually build some of the infrastructure that’s supposed to go into the mine site. The usage of our rail spurs in Hay River, the barging system, the marine system that’s set up in Hay River. NTCL has been named one of the contractors to do the barging into the hydromat facility.

They will be establishing an office in Yellowknife and Hay River, so there is a great deal of opportunity for employment. There are projections of 80 personnel at the mine site and 87 personnel at the hydromat facility in the construction phase.

I will be speaking tonight at the hearing in support of this project and we’re looking forward to that opportunity.