Robert Villeneuve

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to point out that I know that a lot of the candidate areas and these community groups have other avenues in which to establish protected areas; for example, through Parks Canada, Environment Canada and through the territorial government through their own protected areas legislation that they already have in place. I want to know what priority does this Protected Areas Strategy action plan have over any of these other avenues, which could be easier to work with for these candidate-selected areas that these organizations want. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that response. Something of this nature I guess in a Protected Areas Strategy, you’re debt ratio to the end cross-referenced with the Mackenzie gas project. You know, something like this has to be in place before a project of this magnitude breaks ground and I want to commend the department for contributing $1.5 million over the next five years. But the estimated cost over the five years in the summary of the PSAC action plan is $17.745 million and I just want to ask the Minister if he’s approached NGOs or producing groups, for instance, to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to finish off my quote from the elder, Alfred Taniton. I quote, Mr. Speaker, “Mother earth and everything about her is as sensitive to developments and changes as humans are to illnesses and harm. When people scratch themselves and have their skin removed, it affects other parts of our body. Although time will eventually heal the wound, we are always left with a scar which never goes away. This is what the pipeline will do to Mother Earth.” Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to talk about some of the important environmental concerns related to the Mackenzie gas project.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot fully express the importance of the Mackenzie Valley with regards to the cultural connection it makes between people from the Deh Cho, the Gwich’in, the Sahtu, and the Inuvialuit. Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie Valley contains one of the world’s last great free-running river systems, the Mackenzie River. Aside from being the longest river in Canada, and the Mackenzie Delta being the largest delta in Canada and the second-largest wetland in Canada...

Thank you.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I would like to thank my colleagues for extending question period.

Mr. Speaker, just getting back to some of the issues that the local youth and the residents have been working on in reference to the arena facility. Over the last year, the youth and the community council have been requesting extra dollars to help make improvements in the arena facility, which the youth again have taken it on themselves to make these improvements. They have allotted many hours and evenings to doing construction work themselves in the arena, Mr. Speaker.

When I went back there and...

I seek unanimous consent to extend question period.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe I will just edify the Minister on what the problem is. The problem is that there is no money.

---Laughter

Basically, the money that was allotted to the community for this youth centre is not sufficient. Basically, their shortfall is to the tune of about $40,000, Mr. Speaker. With the government painting a bright fiscal picture with all of the new developments at the national level, I don’t see what the big issue is with scraping up $40,000 within Municipal and Community Affairs multi-million dollar budget to help the youth in the community. Thank you, Mr...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to rise and announce that on September 25, 2004, I attended a graduation ceremony held in Deninu Kue, to recognize the significant achievements of three students. Mr. Speaker, I would like to again congratulate Donavan Boucher, Andy Norn and Travis Guild in reaching this significant milestone, and encourage them all to proudly display their Grade 12 diplomas.

I would like to point out, Mr. Speaker, that this graduation class represents a 200 percent increase in the number of grads from the previous Deninu School. So I would also like to...

I move that we report progress.