Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last night I attended a forum on the Giant Mine Remediation Project. I learned a lot about Giant, and it made me think about mining, our economy, and how we need to adapt mining practices to the 21st Century.
Members know that I am pro-mining. I have said recently that I believe that we can develop mines safely while being respectful to the environment. I believe we can enjoy the economic benefits without paying the same heavy price as in the past, but for that to happen, we need to learn the lessons of Giant Mine and learn what it is teaching us.
Giant and Con Mines were instrumental in establishing the Northwest Territories as we know it. From the 1930s until the end of the century, Giant produced over 7 million ounces of gold. At today's prices, that is over $9 billion in value. That wealth attracted many outsiders to the North, including my father. Many people settled here and built homes and families in what is now the capital city.
Moving into the future is done best if we learn from the mistakes of the past. Plenty of mistakes were made at Giant, and our community and the land still bear the scars. Our Indigenous neighbours weren't consulted about the mines or invited to share in the wealth. Today, we recognize the error and unfairness of that practice, and Aboriginal governments will be owners and full partners in the future.
The environment was an afterthought in those days. We believed the earth had an unlimited capacity absorb our garbage and heal herself. Now we know that that's not true. We are still living with the environmental damage caused by 50-plus years of overturning the earth. There was social damage, too, from corporate profiteering and labour unrest. Long-time Yellowknifers remember the deep social divisions caused by the Giant Mine strike in 1992 and the deaths that resulted. A lot of mistakes were made, Mr. Speaker, but now we are cleaning up the mess. More importantly, we are learning the lessons of our experience.
New technologies will allow us to dig without leaving a mess behind. Projects must have full partnership with Aboriginal governments. Instead of being dragged into environmental sustainability, industry is leading the way. New practices use less water, reduce power consumption, and make projects green.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that we can move forward with sustainable mining, and our economy needs us to, but it is the 21st Century and we must do it differently. We have the knowledge, and we have the technology. We just need to use the lessons of the past to build a more prosperous and sustainable future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
