Paul Delorey

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Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Crucial Fact

Historical Information Paul Delorey is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly October 2011, as MLA for Hay River North

Won his last election, in 2007, with 61% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Realizing Benefits From The Oil And Gas Industry June 26th, 2000

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to bring some emphasis to how important the oil and gas development is to Hay River. Hay River had a taste of the excitement that can be created by oil and gas development. In the early 70's, I was there for about five years, and indeed it was a busy time for Hay River. They had visions, Mr. Speaker, of Hay River growing to approximately 15,000 people. In fact, Hay River took steps to put infrastructure in place to support that population.

We all know what the Berger Inquiry did, and how everything was put on hold. I might add, Mr. Speaker, that Hay River had very little input into what was contained in the Berger Inquiry.

Since that time, Hay River has very little to celebrate. Yes, we have had the Northwest Territories Power Corporation move to Hay River, but the impact of that was reduced considerably by the fact that we lost NorthwesTel as a main centre.

When diamond mines were first introduced to the North, Hay River businesses spent a lot of money in attending meetings and preparing for what they could possibly gain from the diamond industry. A lot of those businesses came away empty handed because of their location.

I hear every day, Mr. Speaker, how well situated Hay River is for oil and gas development, how well it is equipped with infrastructure to support that development. However, Mr. Speaker, that infrastructure was taxed to the limit in the early 70's, some of which was in better shape at that time than what it is today.

When asked about funding for infrastructure in Hay River, the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development stated that they cannot do anything on speculation. I am under the impression, Mr. Speaker, that oil and gas development in the North has gone beyond being speculative.

Speculation did not stop the Government of the Northwest Territories from spending millions of dollars in preparing for the diamond industry. The four advisory positions in the oil and gas sector that are being proposed by the government, one of which is located in headquarters, and one in Fort Simpson, does nothing to assure me that Hay River is being considered as a major point for the oil and gas industry.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Item 21: Report Of Committee Of The Whole June 26th, 2000

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been reviewing Bill 1, Appropriation Act, 2000-2001, and Committee Report 2-14(3), and would like to report progress with one motion being adopted. Mr. Speaker, I move the report of the committee of the whole be concurred with.

Committee Motion 6-14(3): To Defer Activity, Corporate Management, Rwed (carried) June 26th, 2000

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would think that there would be a fair bit of interest in Hay River as far as any development in the oil and gas sector, the manufacturing and especially with the shipping and NTCL.

I am just wondering, who will have input when we talk about putting in for oil and gas advisory positions? As you mentioned in the House yesterday, when oil and gas for the Deh Cho is going to Fort Simpson, I was wondering who had input as to where that position would be set up?

Committee Motion 6-14(3): To Defer Activity, Corporate Management, Rwed (carried) June 26th, 2000

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was wondering in the oil and gas exploration field, we are getting ready for it, has there been any consultation with communities or is there anything being looked at as far as Hay River being the rail head and shipping centre? Are there any areas being looked at there that, such as an impact study on Hay River as far as getting ready for oil and gas? Has anybody been looking at that at all?

Committee Motion 6-14(3): To Defer Activity, Corporate Management, Rwed (carried) June 26th, 2000

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Is there a figure breakdown if you separate the minerals from oil and gas?

Committee Motion 6-14(3): To Defer Activity, Corporate Management, Rwed (carried) June 26th, 2000

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With respect to oil and gas, minerals oil and gas, I see 2000-2001, $2,737,000. I am just wondering, with all the talk there is about oil and gas and getting ready for the development in that area, just looking at the figures here, there seems to be a decrease this year, as compared to previous years. You would think that in the stress that we are putting on the development for oil and gas and getting prepared for it, that there would be an increase there.

Does that figure indicate what we are doing in the oil and gas industry at all?

Committee Motion 6-14(3): To Defer Activity, Corporate Management, Rwed (carried) June 26th, 2000

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The reason I was pointing it out is because the figures did not seem to have much fairness or jive very much. In all fairness, I did not add up the other communities in it, but that seemed to be awfully low for Hay River.

Committee Motion 6-14(3): To Defer Activity, Corporate Management, Rwed (carried) June 26th, 2000

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am referring to Tabled Document 12-14(2), tabled on February 24th, 2000. The amount I am referring to is the total approved in that report, $9,390,310, in the Business Development Fund.

Committee Motion 6-14(3): To Defer Activity, Corporate Management, Rwed (carried) June 26th, 2000

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Going back to that Business Development Fund for a minute, the amounts I was referring to were the amounts that we put out through the fund from April 1, 1998, to March 31, 1999. It does not seem to be any kind of split, or any fairness in where the money goes. I know from the area I come from, there have been a lot of people complaining they could not get any money. I do not think it is a matter of them not applying. I am just wondering why so little amount of funds went to that area. If that same split is used, out of the $2 million that is left, I do not see Hay River getting much of that for any business there that would be interested in getting money.

Committee Motion 6-14(3): To Defer Activity, Corporate Management, Rwed (carried) June 26th, 2000

In a different area, I had been talking earlier this year about agriculture, and agriculture at least got a mention in the budget speech and in the Common Ground document. Is there any money at all specifically earmarked for agriculture this year?