Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My stated goal is that we have a comprehensive public review of fracking, and that is what I wish for. I don’t believe that this motion will give enough time for that to happen. I support, certainly, the wish of my colleagues to hear the voice of the people, and I am always open to the voice of the people.
At this point, I don’t feel that I can make a decision on this motion. I haven’t had time to canvass my constituents. As mentioned, we saw this quite late in the week this week. I’ve been considering it ever since I first saw the motion and I really don’t know how I should vote. I am going to abstain. I don’t feel that I can vote against it, because it is the wish of my colleagues that this motion go forward, but I can’t vote for it in this particular instance.
I have to comment on a couple of the statements that have been made earlier by my colleagues. It has been stated that we – and I’m presuming by “we” it’s talking about us in the House – are making a decision with this plebiscite. I have to disagree. We are not making any decision in terms of fracking. We are simply giving an opportunity to the public to express their view.
There have been comments about the fact that if there is a plebiscite that the majority of people in Yellowknife will override the people in the regions. What it doesn’t do, if there is no plebiscite, is it doesn’t allow the people in the regions who are against fracking – and there are a lot of them – to express their voice. I wish we would not pit region against region. I think you will find that there are a lot of people in Yellowknife who probably would support fracking.
However, that said, I want to keep my comments short and that’s all that I have at this point.