Alfred Moses

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we come to an end in the 17th Legislative Assembly, would the Minister responsible ensure that this is a priority of the 18th Assembly? Would he commit that our seniors’ issues, such as elder abuse, housing and services in some of the small communities are a priority in the 18th Assembly so when the new government comes in, they can hit the road running and address some of the issues our elders are dealing with? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Just on page 82 and talking about the airports, I know it is on the list and it’s something that I’ve brought up during general comments when we got started with the infrastructure process. I just wanted to ask the Minister, when do we expect to have an update on the work that’s being done for the runway, the survey work and all that information? When can we expect to get a report on that and make a decision? Also, just with the airport, as well, I know it is on the books to be replaced, the airport facility, and I’m just wondering what the plans are for that as well.

I guess, in the interim, while the building is getting constructed, is there anything being done to the current building in terms of the foundation problems as well as the insulation that’s probably resulting, as I said, in high utility costs, and is there also a safety issue with the foundation? If there are foundation problems, is there a safety issue for the people working in the building?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I see a couple of things here with the shop replacements. I guess focusing first on the Inuvik shop replacement and just going through the substantiation sheet here. I guess the first question would be: When is the expected construction and ready for move in for the groups that would be moving into the new building?

The Minister made mention of chipsealing the highway there, and you know and I know, coming into the Legislative Assembly the road that has just been fixed over out on the highway here. They chipsealed that this summer and there are already some issues of potholes and those kinds of things. It’s going to be recurring in terms of having to do work and more work on it.

In some of the more significant areas on that access road from the airport to Inuvik, can that work be more permanent in terms of a paving project rather than chipsealing where we’re going to have to continue to do that maintenance...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Transportation today. It’s regarding our airport road in Inuvik. Any Member that has driven that road or has done any visits to Inuvik over the summer – it’s not even recently but just throughout the summer – knows how bad a situation that road is in.

I’d like to ask the Minister, what is the plan for paving that road or fixing that road from our airport in Inuvik to the community of Inuvik? What is our short-term and long-term plan for that road?

Just to finish, we can’t forget about the other future benefits and investment potential that the Inuvik-Tuk Highway is going to produce when we look at our offshore drilling, tourism and reduced cost of living for the communities toward Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik.

Not only that, from a personal level, when you walk around Inuvik and you see the young guys and the young girls working, the family providers, the men who go and work long hours to provide for their families in Tuk and Inuvik and how that benefits them, it’s great to see people who are finally working, a decreased number of people on...

One question the Minister made reference to is on the Yukon side. I know we’ve put a lot of resources into our highways and obviously referenced here in the infrastructure budget. I know the question came up earlier in this government, whether or not our Minister speaks directly with the Yukon government to see what kind of investments they’re doing to upkeep their side of the Dempster Highway. In the summertime it can get really bad in certain sections and then, as you mentioned, we do a good job to try and open up the highway in the wintertime. On the Yukon side, are they putting in as...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just following up specifically on Highway No. 8. It’s really interesting here about the half negotiated contract with that one, but just in terms of the amount of rainfall and the amount of work that’s gone into the work that was done on the highway, is there any extra dollars that would be going into the construction and the surfacing and resurfacing and continued maintenance on the highway, considering the amount of rainfall that we had and the damage that it’s done on the highways?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just further, in terms of the facility itself and the runway, has there been any discussion on lengthening that runway so that it can actually service bigger jets? I know Whitehorse has that opportunity to bring in international flights and with the Inuvik-Tuk Highway coming on board, are there any discussions on lengthening that runway at the Inuvik Airport?