Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can understand the liability insurance and everything that the government has to do, realize, or have in place when they are building ice roads. Would the Minister consider supporting maybe a local group out of Lutselk'e to be able to construct an ice road that could be used for the community as a test to see how long the ice road would last? I mean, it changes season to season. I realize that. Would the Minister be willing to, again, maybe have his department discuss a possibility of supporting a group in Lutselk'e to construct an ice road from here to...

I believe that they have constructed a winter road in to Lutselk'e in the past. It could be an opportunity to look at it again. I would like to ask the Minister if he would at least take a look at it and maybe have some of the officials who do their ice profiling and whatnot to look at something and have a discussion with the opportunities with such a road with the community.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to recognize our interpreters, Mr. Tom Unka, interpreting in Denesuline Chipewyan language, and Maro Sundberg, in Wiilideh Tlicho language. I would also like to recognize two Pages from Wiilideh, Joshua Drygeese and Ben Colas. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is good news, but I do agree with the Minister that this would probably consume the entire budget with one project. I know that this is what is the mains and our opportunity to discuss the increase in this budget, would it be in that business planning time? I realize that. Still, going along the lines that my request to have a winter road constructed would be a part of capital, so I didn't make the link that it could be a part of O and M. I am wondering if the Minister sees, if that $1.48 million was fully subscribed, if the Minister would be able to, working with...

Thank you. I think the Minister said capital appropriation. I said that I understood that, but there something in the capital called access road. I am wondering if there is a set amount in that budget all of the time that is similar to this, but maybe has a different objective. I am wondering if there is money there that should essentially have no impact on this budget. I am not sure I am making myself very clear. Maybe the Minister can help me with this. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks for that response. On page 240, Mr. Chair, I want to just ask some questions around the local community roads. Community access roads, generally, I think, are used for all seasons, to maybe create an all-season road to various traditional areas that individuals would wish to access. I have a question for the Minister: could this money be used for winter roads? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

As these companies move forward, the potential for ownership with the Indigenous governments and Indigenous groups, will there still be requirements for impact benefit agreements should these companies have ownership along with the Indigenous governments?

Marsi, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement, I talked about small-scale mining. I would like to ask the Minister of ITI a couple of questions. Will the Minister work with the small-scale, high value-added mineral industry to adjust their requirements to a small scale from what would be a normal, large-scale operation? That would be proportional approvals, proportional requirements, and costs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister discuss the possibilities of technology, energy, and green metals becoming a focus of research and study with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment? Thank you.

Specific to that project, will the Minister work with the governments, regulators, and firms like Avalon and Cheetah to facilitate an accelerated timeline at Nechalacho to achieve small-scale production?