Tom Beaulieu

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to talk about a subject that I've touched on many times in this House, homecare in the NWT.

Our current situation in the communities, Mr. Speaker, is that seniors, once unable to continue living independently, are moved into long-term care facilities. It is my opinion and the opinion of many people that the vast majority of elders do not want to be in long-term care. Long-term care is costing the GNWT about $140,000 per year, per patient. So if an elderly couple was to be forced into long-term care, it would cost the GNWT $280,000 per year...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask questions to the Minister of ITI. I would like to ask the Minister if, prior to any mine opening, if they do potential resource revenues, that would be coming from the mine to the two governments? Thank you.

So the Minister is telling me that, if Avalon or the company that would be building the mine at Thor Lake would like to discuss possibility of having an all-season road built to their mine site, then they should come to the Minister to have that discussion and also that they should be prepared to do consultation with the YK Dene? Is that correct?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement today, I talked about a road to Nechalacho, the Avalon mine. I would like to ask the Minister if he agrees that an all-season road to any potential mine increases investor comfort. Thank you.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.] Mr. Speaker, yesterday in my Member's statement I spoke about Avalon, a company that owns rare earths deposits at Thor Lake. Today I wish to expand on my statement and talk about the benefits of building an all-season road that would run from Ingraham Trail to Thor Lake.

Mr. Speaker, the all-season road I speak of does not necessarily have to be one of an NWT highway standard. It can be designed to a haul-road standard, for example. Even a road of this standard will help the mining company to attract investors and will be a project...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you.

I am going to assume that Neptune Resources or NICO mines has had that evaluation done. Can the Minister tell me if the resource revenue is coming from that mine is greater than the cost of the road from the highway to Whati?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the reason I am not asking the Minister of ITI questions, I am asking the Minister of Infrastructure, is because I am interested in the road. I think the road would have benefits to Thor Lake. We are not building a road to Whati to accommodate NICO mines, but we are building a road to Whati because we are building a road to Whati, and what happens from there would be beneficial to the mining operation over there. This is the same type of concept I am talking about. Build a road to the shore by Thor Lake that will benefit the community of Lutselk'e and other...

On the viability of continuing to put a road in to the diamond mines, that is not something I am opposed to, but I think that this road might have more benefits to a complete road all the way up the Slave Geological at this time, although I am not in here prepared to talk against a road into the Slave Geological, but it is my opinion that the road into the Thor Lake would be something that is viable. I would like to ask the Minister if the Minister would take the step of consulting with the company to see what their feeling is on an all-season road that will run down from Ingraham Trail to...

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.] I would like to recognize Chief Eddie Sangris, YK Dene First Nation. Thank you.