Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like many First Nations throughout the Northwest Territories, the Gwich'in people have relied on the Porcupine caribou herd, along with other herds throughout the territory. Mr. Speaker, all Dene in the NWT are also part of the Porcupine caribou management agreement. Even though the Porcupine caribou herd is one of the healthiest herds in Canada and in the United States, as well, you know that future drilling, if allowed in 1002 lands is what this motion is speaking to.
It can have huge impacts on the Porcupine caribou herd. We see it throughout all the herds in Canada that are declining at the moment, yet the Porcupine caribou herd is healthy at the moment, but future drilling can have impacts on this, as well. That is the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd, Mr. Speaker, and now is the time we need to stand up again. You know, this fight has gone on for many years in the Gwich'in, in the Yukon, Alaska, and the Northwest Territories have always been lobbying the Congress and senators in the United States to protect their calving grounds. I'd just like to read the latest update that I received.
"The Senate passed its budget resolution, which directs the Senate Natural Resource Committee, chaired by Alaska Senator Murkowski, to generate $1 billion in new revenues. This is expected to be found by removing the legislative barriers to drilling in the coastal plain, and counting highly speculative revenues from the future sale of oil leases. The Senate vote happened largely along party lines, with the budget resolution passing 51 out of 52 Republicans to 49, all 48 Democrats, and one Republican. Earlier in the evening, Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell tabled a proposed amendment to the budget resolution, which had passed. Whatever moved the direction to the Senate Natural Resources Committee and thus ending the drilling threat in the budget, it did not pass, with 48 votes in favour, democrats, and 52 against, republicans. Last week, the House passed its own budget resolution which also directed its equivalent of the Senate Natural Resource Committee to find $5 billion in new revenues, example, $4 billion more than the Senate budget resolution. Most of these budget resolutions are not legally binding. They are also substantially different budget resolutions."
As I understand the archaic U.S. political process over the course of the next few weeks, the House and Senate will begin negotiations to reconcile the two budget resolutions in a single bill, which will have to pass in the Senate before becoming law, 51 votes required.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that there is still the ability for the language that puts the coastal plain at risk to be removed from the bill prior to the final Senate vote. Given the outcome of the capital amendment vote, however, this will require a shift in position of a minimum of three Republican senators. Mr. Speaker, in the worst-case scenario, the Senate will pass a budget into law in the coming weeks that removes the provisions from the federal legislation which currently prohibits exploration and drilling for oil in the coastal plain. So Mr. Speaker, more than ever, this motion is very important, and we need lobbying of our Prime Minister to meet with the President of the United States. I know that he is pro-development, but Mr. Speaker, I think we also need to send a contingent down to Washington to lobby the senators. Like I said, we only need three to change their position.
We have a lot of people who depend on the Porcupine caribou in the Northwest Territories along with the Yukon, I know they are doing their part to send people down to lobby. I just ask for your support, and Mr. Speaker, I will request a recorded vote. Thank you.