Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just looking at the work that's going to be done on the highway, I notice that, I guess and it might be there somewhere but I don't see, I guess Highways 2, 4, 5, and 6 on there. And I guess my concern is probably more so Hay River, which is Highway 2, about Kilometre 42 to 48, which is in dire need of work. Can the Minister tell me if that's included in work for this coming summer? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess the other is drainage and culverts. We've had a number of washouts because of high water, and I'm just wondering, I guess, have we, I guess, assessed all the culverts along the highway to see if they meet standards, because it seems like, you know, this last couple years we've been having a frequent number of washouts and the amount of water coming down, the culverts just can't handle them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And it's important that if we're gathering this information, you know, we're studying, we're developing plans, that we communicate that to the public as well so they know what's going on so they know we're actually doing something because, you know, most people look at it and, you know, they look at Hay River, they say well, what do we have for monitoring? Well, we got a couple of cameras on the river and we have an airplane that flies over us and says yeah, the water's getting higher. And that's about it. And that's people's understanding.

So Mr. Speaker, will the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I see that in Hay River you have the RCMP units going up, and they seem to be moving along fairly steadily, making good time on it. There's two other units I think in Hay River as well, individual units that are going up in the same vicinity. Are they on schedule? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last weekend I went home and heard from constituents who are asking what this government is doing to address future flood preparedness for the communities of Hay River and K'atlodeeche. Residents are concerned that this government has been silent on what, if any, action is being taken, or is currently underway to assess the flood, our response, mitigation solutions, and emergency preparedness.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that we are only six months away from spring break up, and the question is are we prepared to deal with another flood?

Preparedness does...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Okay, I just want to go to the line item there, hydro infrastructure or no, I guess it's community hydro, two community hydro projects to generate electricity. What are the two communities that those are going in? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to go to the line diesel power plant, Infrastructure, territorial. Can the Minister just, I guess, provide me some insight into, you know, how many plants or, yeah, how many plants we're looking at and communities as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, I'm pleased to hear it might not be 60; it could be 40. Or will it be more like the windmill up in the Delta?

So anyways, I just want to move on here to Fort Simpson. And I and just looking at that, the relocation of the diesel plant and then the setting up the LNG plant, they're both slated for completion at the same time. I guess I'm trying to figure out is one of those plants going to be a backup and one kind of running main power, or what's going on there? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to get an idea of, I guess, where we are with the Fort Providence transmission line, you know, where we are in the process. We got a target completion, I think, by 20242025. Can the Minister just provide me a quick update on that. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, I guess, you know, when we look at the traffic corridor, you know, traffic coming in from the south, heavy trucks, we're looking at Highway No. 1, and then if it's barge traffic, it's coming in to Hay River and, you know, we have quite a few corners there, we have no shoulders. So is there anything, I guess, in the works to look at maybe road straightening as well as road widening on either well, I guess from the border all the way into Hay River? Thank you.