David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to echo your comments to Ms. Boullard. Thank you very much for your service, and I recognize her attendance here today. As well, Ms. McLeod, best wishes in your new position. I’d also like to recognize Sonny MacDonald. Sonny is a well-known, skilled artist from Fort Smith and he’s been a huge contributor to the arts and craft industry here in the Northwest Territories. It’s an honour to have him here in the gallery today. I also wanted to recognize Lydia Bardak, Yellowknife city counsellor. I also see Arlene Hache, I’d like to recognize. As well, a constituent...

As early as mid-July, I hope to be in Norman Wells and have the opportunity to meet with Husky while they’re there. Certainly, in August when we are in Calgary meeting with industry, with the EDI committee, that’s when I would hope to have some more opportunity to discuss those types of opportunities with industry while we’re in Calgary, and that would happen in August.

To the Member’s question, yes, any opportunity we get to talk to industry on the advancement of transportation infrastructure in the Sahtu, we will take every opportunity. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is well aware, building roads in the Northwest Territories is an expensive endeavour. With the resource development in the central Mackenzie and the Sahtu, I certainly believe there is opportunity, as we go forward, to develop transportation infrastructure, and that would include all-weather roads, by working with industry and also with our partner in Ottawa. I believe those discussions will take place as that resource is proven up and that resource continues to move forward. There are going to be a lot of opportunities in that area.

The Member brings up a good point and we’ll take that into consideration.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d be more than happy to look into the intervals on maintenance on that section of highway in comparison to other sections. It does have, and I do know this, something to do with the amount of traffic that is on the road, but I will get the information for the Member and then we can do a comparison. If there are issues with maintenance, the Member and the communities can certainly bring that to my attention and we will address that.

Mr. Speaker, again, as we move forward, I think whether or not we need a food strategy per se or to be part of a larger piece like the Economic Development Strategy or many of the other support mechanisms that the department has for locally produced food and agriculture in the NWT, it certainly is something worth some consideration, though. Thank you.

That is a good point, and I believe we need to work collectively. I need to work with my colleague from Municipal and Community Affairs. It could, in fact, be a big part of the Economic Development Strategy that we’re going to continue to pursue here in the Northwest Territories, so that we can find ways to grow the agricultural industry here in the Northwest Territories. I agree wholeheartedly with the Member on the importance of getting that sector more pronounced here in our territory, and I’ll do what I can as Minister to make sure that that happens. Thank you.

Yes, we will do that. Thank you.

Over the weekend the website was updated on a continuous basis. It was updated because of the situation that was happening with the Liard River. As far as weather, we have somebody on every weekend updating the website. If there are events that are happening in the territory, I would expect that we’d have somebody available to update that website. I can get that level of detail for the Member on how that happens and when it happens. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past spring the staff and students at N.J. Macpherson School challenged themselves to raise $15,000 to help Stanton Territorial Hospital. For a kindergarten to Grade 5 school with just over 250 students, that was an ambitious goal.

Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to say not only did the students reach their goal, they surpassed it. They raised just over $17,000 and I’m extremely proud to say that the school is in my riding of Kam Lake.

After hearing that the Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation is currently raising money for a dedicated area in our territorial hospital...