Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Devolution was supposed to give the people of the Northwest Territories a voice in matters previously decided from afar by faceless bureaucrats with no skin in the game. It has become apparent, as illustrated by the issue of whether we should pursue fracking in the NWT or not, that our public’s voice continues to fall on deaf ears and that the government’s platitudes about decisions being made by the people of the North were just lip service. The people continue to be unheard when they speak.
That is why when presented with an initiative to give the people an opportunity to speak clearly and directly to the government on a matter of importance to them, I will always be in full support of it. A plebiscite on this contentious issue held in conjunction with our territorial election this fall will provide clear, if narrow, direction to the next Assembly on the issue of whether we should allow the use of hydraulic fracturing in the Northwest Territories or not.
Obviously, it would be much better for this government to hear the people put in place a cost-free moratorium, given the unlikelihood of any industry interest for years, and conduct a comprehensive, transparent and public review of the risks that accompany fracking and whether or not they are acceptable.
Given their apparent deafness and based on their record, my expectations of government to act as requested by the public are low at this point. They have done nothing in response to the clarion call of public: “Why would the government respond to MLAs trying to bring the public voice forward.” But we leave no tool untried.
I am confident this will be an issue in the upcoming election one way or another, but for this moment, this is a straightforward, low-cost motion to seek the public’s view on fracking. I will support this motion.