David Krutko

I call Committee of the Whole to order. We have several items in Committee of the Whole: Tabled Document 1-16(4), Tabled Document 18-16(4), Tabled Document 19-16(4), Committee Report 1-16(4), Committee Report 2-16(4), and Bill 1. What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Speaker, one of the findings of the report the Minister mentions is that just on having a permanent access road versus doing a winter gravel haul where you have to build a winter road, an ice road, whatever, is somewhere in the range of 35 to 40 percent savings to government and to the public cost of building capital in the communities. If we can look at those types of savings and look at it in the long term, how much money can we save by simply having access to gravel sources as an illustration of how we, as government, could be doing things better?

So again, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are directed to the Minister of Transportation. It is in regards to my Member’s statement and the importance of gravel resources for communities to develop public infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, as a government we have several access programs in regards to the Community Access Program and access road construction program. We have the Tuk access road program. We now have the road in regards to the Dettah upgrade access program. We have the Yellowknife bypass road program. We have tons of programs out there, but it just doesn’t seem like you are able to assist...

Bill 1 is now ready for third reading. Thank you. I would like to thank the Minister and his witnesses. What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The most important element of building public infrastructure is gravel, from those housing lots, to public roads, to water treatment facilities, to schools. Without the access to a year-round gravel source, these simple infrastructure needs take years to complete.

Mr. Speaker, it is essential that communities have access to a gravel source so that they can meet these fundamental challenges. But, Mr. Speaker, add climate change to the mix and you have a whole different problem.

Mr. Speaker, with melting permafrost, shoreline erosion on our rivers and in the oceans, it...

To the bill as a whole.

If I can ask Members to turn to page 1 of the bill.

Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witness in.

At this time, I would like to ask the Minister to introduce his witnesses. Mr. Miltenberger.

I would like to ask the Minister if he would like to bring in any witnesses.

Does committee agree?