Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to protecting the health of our people and the environment in creating prosperity for our residents by responsibly and sustainably developing our natural resource potential. We support the use of recognized best practices in making decisions about protecting human health, wildlife, land, air and water in the Northwest Territories. We share a vision of a strong, prosperous and environmentally sustainable Northwest Territories that provides opportunities for all our people, communities and regions. We cannot have prosperity without an economy that provides jobs and economic opportunities for our people and revenues to our government to invest in infrastructure and deliver programs and services.
We talk in this Assembly about breaking the cycle of dependency that traps individuals and keep them from realizing their full potential. We should aspire to be self-sufficient as a jurisdiction, not dependent on handouts from the federal government.
The reality is that responsible development of our natural resources is the mainstay of our economy and source of our prosperity. If the government were to accept the recommendations put forward in this motion, it would effectively mean the end of exploration and resource development in the Sahtu for the foreseeable future. That would stall economic growth not just in the Sahtu but in the whole territory, eliminate potential revenue this government could be collecting under our new Devolution Agreement and reduce opportunities for all residents to prosper.
Resource development is not new to this jurisdiction. We have seen the benefits that development can bring and seen some of the negative impacts. We have seen how projects were approved and managed in the past and have gained valuable insight and information that will allow us to better manage the potential risks associated with future projects.
Our government assumed new responsibilities for an already well-developed environmental protection and regulatory system as part of devolution. It is the same system that has overseen the development of diamond mining and other projects in the Northwest Territories. We have every confidence that this system will continue to serve the public interest.
Land and water boards continue to be responsible for reviewing project applications and granting and recommending approvals based on their assessment of potential environmental risks and
expected benefits for the people of the Northwest Territories.
The Government of the Northwest Territories continues to participate in review processes and decision-making, consistent with established legislative requirements and roles. The Ministers of Environment and Natural Resources and Land and the oil and gas regulator all have responsibilities for assessing projects and granting certain approvals in this system. They are guided in their decision-making by a legislative and policy framework that includes the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and territorial mirror legislation, the Land Use and Sustainability Framework, Sustainable Development Policy, Water Strategy, Economic Opportunities Strategy and our commitments under several land claims. That legislative and policy framework ensures decisions are consistent in the public interest and reflect northern priorities and values.
Guidelines developed by the National Energy Board prior to April 1st set out information requirements for
applications for projects that involve hydraulic fracturing. These guidelines currently apply to projects in the Northwest Territories and we have already committed to strengthen them by developing regulations under the NWT Oil and Gas Operations Act that will set out our own information requirements.
Our intention is to consult broadly on the development of those regulations. There will be opportunities for individuals, communities and regions to have input as well as Aboriginal governments, industry, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders.
Any regulations that government establishes will be based on current science, recognized best practices and will consider all the views presented during consultations. We will continue to review and assess our new responsibilities and refine and strengthen the system over time to ensure it serves the public interest and reflects the views and priorities of Northerners.
In addition to developing hydraulic fracturing regulations, we have already launched a public review of devolution legislation. Our government is committed to balanced responsible development that protects our people and environment at the same time as it creates prosperity. We do not believe that a blanket rejection of all projects that might include hydraulic fracturing before they even come forward or are described in project applications reflects the balanced approach.
Our system gives us the tools we need to manage development responsibly, creating sustainable benefits for our people and protecting our environment. We will continue to monitor and manage the pace of development and ensure that all project applications receive the necessary
review as set out in established legislation. The government will be voting against this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.