Statement made on 20 October 2011 by Senator Nick Sibbeston
Hon. Nick G. Sibbeston:
Honourable senators, I have spoken several times about the value of development in the Mackenzie River Valley, both the proposed gas pipeline and the highway from Wrigley to Inuvik. Today, I would like to mention another project, a fibre optic link connection.
Last year, the Inuvik Satellite Station Facility opened with the commissioning of two satellite dishes. Inuvik sits at one point of a triangle that includes similar stations in Europe and Russia. It is therefore an ideal place for the gathering of satellite information — such as environmental or geoscience monitoring — an area in which Canada is a world leader.
However, for this facility to reach its full potential, it must be linked to the South with high-speed data transmission to provide government and business with real-time data. A fibre optic link is the best way to do this. The expansion of the facility would be a tremendous benefit to the economy of Inuvik and the North.
A fibre optic link would also permit an incredible improvement in the provision of education and telehealth services to the six communities that lie along the route — seven, if an extension to Tuktoyaktuk were built at the same time.
The potential for economic development from a high-speed Internet connection is also considerable, contributing to the well-being and prosperity of communities that often struggle to make ends meet.
Unlike the other megaprojects that I have spoken about, which would require huge investments and many years to complete, a fibre optic link could be finished by 2015, including necessary environmental reviews, and for less than $70 million. Because both business and government would benefit, it would be an ideal private-public partnership.
I understand that the Government of the Northwest Territories has made application to PPP Canada for this idea, and I urge the federal government to support it.