Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories fully participated in the environmental assessment process associated with the proposed Site C hydroelectric project. In submissions to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, better known at CEAA, the Government of the Northwest Territories provided technical comments and concerns about potential downstream impacts from the Site C dam. The Government of the Northwest Territories also provided recommendations to address potential downstream effects to aquatic ecosystems, traditional harvesters, and communities in the Northwest Territories, specifically that the cumulative-effect assessment should expand in scope to include the Slave River and Slave River delta and should include assessment of the combined effects of Site C, Dunvegan, and Bennett Dam on water quality, quantity, and the health of the aquatic ecosystem.

Despite the input provided by the Government of the Northwest Territories and some Northwest Territories Indigenous governments, CEAA's decision concluded that the project could go ahead but provided 80 conditions to reduce the potential downstream effects. CEAA also concluded that no effects from the Site C dam are likely to occur in the Northwest Territories.