David Krutko

Again, I would like to ask the Minister what is this government doing to include the aboriginal governments in that community, especially the First Nations government and the Gwich’in Tribal Council and the band in Inuvik? What role are they playing? Because, as I understand it, they are totally out of the picture and are not being consulted. Thank you.

Agreed? Okay. Can we turn back to page 2-2? Human Resources, department summary, infrastructure investment summary, total infrastructure investment summary, $715,000. Agreed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe if the Minister really wants to get it, maybe they can have a program for communities like Aklavik, to ensure that we have a shoreline erosion program that’s there for communities that are along the shoreline of the river systems and in regards to lakes and whatnot. So when we see this erosion taking place, we actually have a program out there that people can access public funds to shore up their communities so that they are in the future. Can the Minister commit to that?

Does the committee agree that we have concluded the Department of Finance?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, getting back to my questions, I don’t want to leave the impression with the public that’s out there that we don’t care for our municipalities and the Minister is the only one that does. I don’t think that’s an appropriate comment. I’ve been here for 14 years raising issues on behalf of my constituents, and I’m still raising issues that haven’t been resolved for 14 years.

Regardless if you transfer that authority to municipalities or whatever...In the past there was a funding source called extraordinary funding which was there to assist communities whenever there...

Mr. Speaker, I believe the decision was made here in Yellowknife and not in the community operations. If anything, they agreed that they can still operate. I would like to ask the Minister if it is possible to extend the season as long as possible so people are still able to move goods and services and the people back and forth, people working on the highway, people out at 8 Mile, so they are able to get back and forth across the river. But, more importantly, with the mild weather that we are receiving here in Yellowknife that we are probably going to see a short winter season this year...

Agreed. Page 5-10, Public Works and Services, petroleum products division, activity summary, infrastructure investment summary, total infrastructure investment summary, $1.265 million.

I’ll try to repeat the question. My question is that there were eight communities that were not incorporated and would not be able to spend their capital investment dollar because they were not incorporated. They did not have the ability to own assets. I think for ourselves, as a government, before we made this transfer, that problem should have been solved and not told sorry, you are getting a bunch of Building Canada funds but you can’t spend it because you are not incorporated. That is the issue. I think as a government, that should have been solved or find ways to mitigate the problem so...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ferry service throughout the Northwest Territories is an essential service to deliver goods and services and also for the public to travel, hopefully as long as they can. Mr. Speaker, the ferry operations in the Mackenzie Delta have been closed on the Mackenzie River last week, but there’s been talk about closing the Peel River Ferry at kilometre 74 this weekend, which, Mr. Speaker, I received some photographs from my constituency assistant and sent it off to the Minister to clearly demonstrate there is no ice on the river, it is wide open. Yet, Mr. Speaker, they’re...

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Welcome, witnesses. Can we turn to page 5-2, Public Works and Services, department summary, infrastructure investment summary, total infrastructure investment summary, $27.260 million. That will be deferred. To page 5-4, Public Works and Services, activity summary, asset management, infrastructure investment summary, total infrastructure investment summary, $18.953 million.