Mr. Speaker, Donald Trump's illegal tariffs on Canadian exports come into place tomorrow. We were optimistic in our hopes that diplomacy was an option, but, unfortunately, no matter how unlawful, unwarranted, or irrational these tariffs may be, they are the new reality for our country. After decades of friendship, the American President has betrayed our values of mutual benefit to initiate a bitter trade war where any cooperation between nations has become purely transactional. The United States has become a bully akin to Russia or North Korea using threat and intimidation to pursue their foreign policy. Therefore, we must now pivot as the Northwest Territories and Canada towards a new economic strategy that focuses on securing our future and markets elsewhere in the world.
While Northerners have felt left out of the great national debates in the past, on the topic of Canada's economic future, we find ourselves front and center because we have the critical resources the world needs. We have copper for electrical wiring, tungsten for hardened tools, nickel and zinc the steel industry could not go without. Recently, we have also discovered lithium and cobalt deposits vital for producing batteries and alloys and plenty of rare earth minerals which are highly sought after by specialized tech industries around the globe. These vast deposits of critical minerals will, once developed, grant Canada resource sovereignty needed for self-sufficiency and opening the door to new markets around the world. Most importantly, they will provide us with the strategic leverage required to negotiate better trade terms with the United States.
More locally, these industries will certainly kick start our economy back into high gear with employment opportunities our communities need and revenues the quality of our public services rely on. Yet, there are still many hurdles we must overcome as we set our future into motion. We've heard from Indigenous governments and industry are leaders that our regulatory system is prohibitive. Our permitting timelines glacial and consultations inadequate. The infrastructure needed to unlock our more remote regions is limited, and the capital costs to get these projects off the ground are high. However, these challenges are not insurmountable. We just need to find the political will. The only question now is are we ready to take the lead to keep Canada's North true and strong and free, or will we let the moment slip by as many mines lay dormant for the foreseeable future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife North.
