Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Transportation. Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in this House, the community of Aklavik is looking forward to possible economic opportunities and tourism once the bridge and road is completed to Willow River. Mr. Speaker, at Willow River, we also have in my riding probably the best quality of material that is next to pretty much the same as Frog Creek. Mr. Speaker, the community is looking forward to completing this project, and as I mentioned, we need the remaining funds...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been two years since the community of Aklavik received funds to purchase a bridge for Willow River and I have thanked the department many times for that. Once that bridge was purchased the community hauled that to Aklavik, stored it there for the winter because by that time we couldn’t haul it to Aklavik. Then last year we received more funding through the Community Access Program to haul this bridge up to the site at Willow River and get preparations started to actually put this bridge in place. But, Mr. Speaker, it has been over a year since we’ve...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know it’s been two years since this program has been sort of going in this direction from having the treatment centre here in the NWT, and you know I can appreciate, you know, us sending people to the south. With what the department is saying they want to sort of move towards more on-the-land healing programs. It’s pretty clear we need to fund this more here. Mr. Chair, a million dollars just… It’s not doing enough for our people that have a lot of needs in the territory, you know. We have to have better programming in place here. As I’ve said before, we have to have...

Thank you. No further questions right now. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Sorry I got ahead of myself on page 181, there. The homecare and support services I was referring to a little earlier is kind of in partnership with Housing Corp. I would just like to know when this position will be put out to the community of Fort McPherson, just so we’re not rushing around when the actual facility is completed. Is that part of Health? I believe, in Aklavik, the Housing Corporation actually put out the notice and everything, but I’d just like a little information on that. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, you know I’ve said a number of times in this House every spring and fall we have a nurse in the community for a total of close to five months out of the year, which is great for the community. If the community had a nurse that is willing to live and work in the community would the department be open to this?

Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. Mr. Campbell.

Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. Committee, any further questions on page 107? Environment fund, information item. Are we agreed?

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Would Mr. Schumann like to comment on?

Thank you. Now we turn back to page 99. Environment and Natural Resources, water resources, operation expenditure summary, activity total, $11,475,000. Are we agreed? Mr. O’Reilly.