David Krutko

Just on that, I’d just like to ask exactly what is the relationship between this department and the so-called MAC Group which is looking at a similar objective but they’re looking at...What are we doing to work with our partners to try to achieve this and also being able to leverage more federal funding or by way of some sort of a partnership arrangement to meet the final goal of eventually seeing a highway down the Mackenzie?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are directed to the Minister of ITI, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Speaker, in regard to the importance of the harvesting industry in the Northwest Territories and the important role that it played in developing the Northwest Territories going back to the mid-1800s, I think it’s important to realize that it is still a very good part of our communities and the subsistence dependence that people have is to still trap and still harvest as a means of sustaining themselves.

I’d like to ask the Minister in regard to this government’s programs that they have, we have programs in...

In regard to the comments from the deputy minister, it’s clearly illustrated that if a program is overprescribed, that tells me that people very much want access to the program and, if anything, if a program is overprescribed, don’t you think that we should be putting more resources into that program, increase the amount of money we spend in the program and increase the threshold so it can really accomplish what we’re trying to do? Like I say, this issue has been here as long as I have, going back to the 13th Assembly. Again, it has always come to this Legislature year after year after year...

Just finishing off on my favourite subject in regard to access roads to gravel sources and I think if I don’t respond to it, it won’t be doing justice to the residents of Aklavik. I think that we have to realize that it’s critical that we look at opening up gravel sources around communities and, more importantly, it’s not only for the community, it’s for the regions, it’s for the development of industry, it’s for the expansion of connecting communities, and I think we have to look at these developments in regard to long-term investments. I noted that we have to realize there have been motions...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, in regard to the capital estimates, I think that the Department of Transportation has to seriously look at the high cost of maintenance in regard to our highway systems, but more importantly, with the changing climate and the effects that we’re seeing, especially in regard to some sort of...You know, we talk about dust control, we talk about some sort of a road resurfacing appliance that we can put on our roads. I know there are different products that are out there, but I think, as a government, we have to seriously start testing these products on the highways...

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Welcome, witnesses. We are on Department of Transportation on page 9-2, department summary, so we will defer that. Are there any general comments in regards to Department of Transportation? Infrastructure investment summary, page 9-2. Mr. Yakeleya.

With that, we will take a short break and then deal with the Department of Transportation in Committee of the Whole.

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I would like to call Committee of the Whole to order. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 1-16(4), Tabled Document 18-16(4), Tabled Document 19-16(4), Committee Report 1-16(4), and Committee Report 2-16(4). What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

I believe we do have some perfect avenues to take. We have the Deh Cho Bridge Act to fall onto or whatever it is. It is in the process and legislation has passed in this House to take a look at that concept of building a bridge. We have the P3 policy that we are considering looking at with federal investment partnerships. I think that sometimes we have to think of unique ways of achieving these results. At the end of the day, in closing, I would just like to ask the Department of Transportation...This summer alone the ferry crossing on the Peel, because of flash floods or basically major...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I find it kind of hard to hear the Minister’s comments regarding not being able to quantify the importance of the trapping industry in the Northwest Territories but we’re doling out money to every industry that’s from outside the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, my last question in regard to the importance of harvesting to people in our small rural and remote communities. People still have to sustain themselves by some sort, unless this government’s willing to dole out more money for income support and put everybody in our communities on income support and make that...