David Ramsay

As the Member knows, there are a number of areas of concern on Highway No. 7. In fact, several years ago the section from the BC border to the community was chipsealed. The surface wasn’t such to hold the chipseal in place and needed to be reconstructed. We had reconstructed 20 kilometres of that portion of road. We need to look at the reconstruction to the Liard junction, I believe 38 kilometres. At that time we certainly will look to see if we have any further capital dollars to allow us to chipseal the portion from Fort Liard to the BC border. That is certainly in the plans, but it will...

I’m always optimistic, I guess. That would be my first response.

In response to the Member, we are going to conclude the environmental assessment. That report will come in in January. We’re also going to be getting three separate cost estimates on the project. We need to determine the funding arrangement with the federal government. There are a number of decision points here that have to be made, and they’ll be made with Members of the House, with committee, with Regular Members as we move the project forward. That’s our anticipation, is that we’re going to get that cost estimate. We’ll get the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for his question. Certainly, as we move forward I have made a commitment in this House in the past that Highway No. 7, if and when we find additional capital dollars, we would try to identify funding for Highway No. 7 as we move forward. That is still our intention.

In response to the Member during the capital plan review, we haven’t abandoned the Detah road. We do need to identify more funding to complete the work that is required on the Detah road. We’re hopeful that, again, in 2014, that there’s a new infrastructure plan with the federal government that will enable us to conclude the work that’s required on the Detah road.

I’ll do my best. I have maps that I can provide to Members that better indicates the route. It will be down just from the current entrance to Fred Henne Park. That’s where the highway will start. It will bypass the Giant Mine site and the remediation work, both aboveground and underground, that is taking place there and come out close to the Yellowknife River. So it’s about seven kilometres. It’s going to be an important realignment for a number of reasons. I think it also opens up possibilities not only for the city of Yellowknife, but also with Det’on Cho and maybe some advancement on...

Mr. Speaker, on an annual basis, we do go through the business planning process. The leaders in the Beaufort-Delta have certainly been talking about the Inuvik-Tuk road for a number of years now, decades in fact. We see it as the first stage in the construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway that will be integral to the economic growth and success of this territory.

It is something that, with a partnership with the federal government, we feel that we can get it done. It is in an area of our territory right now, in the Beaufort-Delta, where there is not a lot of equipment moving, there is not a...

The project would be connected to the increase in our borrowing limit. We would access that to put our portion of the construction of that road.

Our hope is that a new plan will come forward in 2014. In the absence of that, that is something we would consider.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Tourism is hosting its AGM next week, and gala. I would certainly like to hear more about the opportunities the Member talks about in the Beaufort-Delta. Certainly, we have supported other initiatives in the Beaufort-Delta, most recently $50,000 to the Inuvik Golf Association to help with the golf course up there. We are looking for opportunities to get funding into the Beaufort-Delta, so I would be more than happy to discuss opportunities with the Member to see how ITI could help. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that we work with what we have. I believe between the Northwest Territories Tourism and the staff at ITI, we do the best job we can with the money we have. We have some great staff up in the Member’s region working in tourism. Certainly, we could always use more money when it comes to marketing. That is something that perhaps, over the next few years, we will be able to realize some additional dollars to go into tourism marketing here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.