Dennis Bevington, NDP candidate, announces party platform in N.W.T.
NDP candidate Dennis Bevington promised funding for infrastructure and renewable energy Tuesday, when he announced his party's platform for the Northwest Territories.
Bevington said the NDP will put $200 million into the construction of roads, bridges, and ports. He said the party will spend $100 million over four years for renewable energy, such as biomass and solar power.
Bevington also said he'll reverse the Conservative party's plan to merge the territory's four land and water boards into a superboard — a contentious issue among First Nations and industry.
"Our commitment to First Nations is to eliminate the superboard immediately upon being government," Bevington said.
"We are very fortunate that the Tlicho injunction has stopped the creation of the superboard. It will be a very easy step for us to change that once we get rid of the Conservatives, and put in a government."
Bevington says the NDP will also link the Northern Residents Deduction to the northern inflation rate, which he says is more than five per cent.
Calls out Harper for re-announcing funding
Bevington also took the opportunity to call out Conservative leader Stephen Harper for re-announcing old funding.
He says the Conservative Party's recent election pledge to chipseal parts of Highway 5 inside Wood Buffalo National Park is already budgeted for.
"That comes out of a $390 million Parks Canada infrastructure and roads fund that was set up in the budget this past year," Bevington said.
"It's not new money. It's money that exists. That's not a platform investment. That's already an investment Parks Canada can make from the money allocated to it."
Harper made the $14 million dollar chipseal announcement in Hay River in August.
