OTTAWA (January 28, 2015) — Premier McLeod met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss ways the Government of Canada and Government of the Northwest Territories can work together to promote responsible economic development and infrastructure in the Northwest Territories.
“Responsible development of the Northwest Territories’ substantial mineral and energy resources has the potential to contribute greatly to the Canadian economy and create jobs and economic opportunities for people at home and across the country,” said Premier McLeod. “I conveyed to the Prime Minister our position that sustainable economic development of the North is in the national interest and talked about the need for investment in nation-building infrastructure projects that will enable us to turn northern potential into national prosperity.”
The Premier and the Prime Minister discussed the importance of advancing projects that will support further exploration and development of stranded NWT resources, including completion of the Mackenzie Valley Highway from Wrigley to Norman Wells, an all-weather road into the Slave Geologic Province and the potential for identifying new routes and opportunities for transporting NWT resources to market.
The Premier and Prime Minister also discussed the successful partnership between Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories on the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway, now in its second season of construction.
The meeting with the Prime Minister comes in advance of NWT Days, which will see the Premier, all Cabinet Ministers, several MLAs, Aboriginal leaders and Northern business leaders in Ottawa to meet with federal Ministers and officials, embassies and other stakeholders to promote NWT priorities, including:
- Responsible economic development;
- Responsible stewardship;
- Infrastructure investments;
- Connectivity;
- Energy;
- Housing; and
- Transportation.
Later this week, Premier McLeod will attend the winter meeting of Canada’s Premiers, also being held in Ottawa.
Media inquiries:
Shaun Dean
Director, Cabinet Communications
Government of the Northwest Territories
Tel: 867-445-1941
Email: shaun_dean@gov.nt.ca