Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with this proposed winter road realignment and all-weather road in our jurisdiction, it would be much cheaper and also a shorter distance to travel to the mine site from the south. As you can see in this diagram, it clearly shows, from the department, that that’s the best avenue to go, the Tlicho connecting the communities onto the mine site. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister, can the Minister tell me if the Department of Transportation will be asking for money towards this initiative in the next business plan, for the Tlicho road connecting through...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in August of 2007, there was an advertisement in a native journal. The Kitikmeot Corporation wants to build a port, a road to Bathurst Inlet. The port will be capable of handling 25,000 tons of ice class vessels. A 211 kilometre all-weather road is south of some of the richest minerals in the territory and Canada. Nunavut is moving forward, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is time that we did something positive in our jurisdiction here in the Northwest Territories. There are three diamond mines in our backyard. We currently have jurisdiction over them....

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight reviewed Bill 10 at a meeting on June 8, 2007. Following the clause-by-clause review, a motion was carried to report Bill 10 to the Assembly as ready for Committee of the Whole.

This concludes the committee’s comments on Bill 10. Individual Members may have comments or questions as we proceed. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the committee wishes to consider Bill 9, Write-off of Debts Act, 2007-2008; Bill 10, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2007-2008; Bill 17, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 2006-2007; and Bill 18, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2007-2008. Mahsi, Madam Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate the commitment that’s being made by the Minister to work with us, the Tlicho Government and also the communities. I guess the next question sort of leads to that where can the Minister tell me if he’s worked with the Tlicho Chief Executive Council, because they are the authority in our region on this project, and how he is keeping them informed of the new development? There’s a new development that’s happening in Nunavut. What’s our status? Are we moving forward expeditiously? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker…(English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, maybe I have a solution for Mr. Hawkins’s request…

---Laughter

…an all-weather road via Tlicho communities. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transportation said in February that the department, last year, completed a Tlicho corridors options study that looked at an all-weather road and the all-weather road corridor option in the Tlicho region. The department also completed economic analysis of the benefits and costs of both realigning the Tlicho winter road through an over-land route and upgrading the seasonal route to all-weather...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker…(English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, as I highlighted in my Member's statement, the importance of having a maintenance contract on the Edzo crew from Boundary Creek to the Rae access road. Mr. Speaker, we need to respect the jurisdiction, the Monfwi Gogha De Niitlee traditional territory on which Highway No. 3 is situated and operated. My question is to the Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation. What efforts have the Minister's department made to ensure it uses local workforce whenever possible? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the committee wishes to consider Bill 13, Change of Name Act; Bill 14, Employment Standards Act; and Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act. Mahsi, Madam Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to the transferring of the contract; the sooner the better. So my next questions I guess would lead to that. Mr. Speaker, after all this time and out of courtesy to the Tlicho Government and the people of Behchoko, the Minister must make some effort to give this issue some consideration before the close of this 15th Assembly. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister agree to meet with the chief of Behchoko regarding the maintenance contract before the end of this Assembly and make a commitment to transfer the maintenance contract that is...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that was just the beginning of my oral questions here. My next question, Mr. Speaker, is I asked the former Minister of the Department of Transportation to consider the pros and cons of transferring the responsibility for Highway No. 3 maintenance to Behchoko, taking into consideration the cost efficiency as well as the need to stimulate employment outside of the capital city. The Minister was to report back to this Assembly. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if this work has been done and, if so, what were the results? If not, why not? Mahsi.