Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Welcome back, colleagues. Norman Wells' oilfield closure, another nail in our NWT coffin on the economic side:
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the matter of profound urgency for my home community and the entire Sahtu region, a matter that strikes at the very core of our economic survival and our ability to exercise true sovereignty in Canada's North.
Last week, our Premier, Mr. Simpson, appeared before Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. His message was clear, Mr. Speaker: Sovereignty is not merely claimed through words. It is exercised through development, investment, and presence through the thriving communities and robust infrastructure.
Mr. Speaker, for a century, Norman Wells has been an oil and gas town, a beacon of prosperity for the entire Sahtu region. People made a living, built futures, raised families with hope and dignity. Norman Wells was a showcase for the resource-rich region and the NWT. Imperial Oil's announcement on shutting down production this year is nothing less than an economic sword through the very heart of the Sahtu. There are families left wondering if they have a future, youth residents asking whether there's any future here in the region, elders watching a century of community history come to a devastating close, the business community left with costly mental stress and hard reality of decisions, Mr. Speaker, but even in crisis, there is opportunity.
We stand on the threshold of building the famous Mackenzie Valley Highway, a project that represents connections, access to markets, and the very sovereignty our Premier spoke about. The Sahtu deserves a fighting chance at economic prosperity. The federal government speaks often about Arctic sovereignty and northern development. Well, Mr. Speaker, here is the chance to put words into action. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later, I'll have questions for the appropriate Minister. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife North.
