Wally Schumann

Mr. Speaker, the NWT economy needs a boost right now and the Yellowknife Airport is an important instrument of economic diversity. Finding new, proven ways to support and fund improvements and growth at the airport will help strengthen and diversify the NWT economy and create benefits for all travellers and business that use the airport.

The Department of Transportation is engaged with air carriers, the public, and other key stakeholders who believe there is an opportunity to improve the Yellowknife Airport to support economic growth and better services. To achieve this, the Department of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is well aware, we are in early discussions on how we're going to move the climate change framework forward. As the Premier just stated, we are out in community engagement. We have also met with power suppliers in the Northwest Territories and we are reaching out to the mining industry on how we are going to implement this moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I would have to check to see if the culverts are even ours. That would be the first thing I would need to do. I will look into this situation in the Yukon, and I will report back to the Member on what my findings are with the Yukon.

It is my understanding that the access to this housing unit along 140 is actually an unauthorized access along the side of the highway, but as I have said in this House, if the overflow is impeding on the highway and causing a safety issue we will have a look at doing something.

Mr. Speaker, last December the Department of Public Works and Services took measures to secure the core assets of the Northern Transportation Company Limited, or NTCL, a company that went into receivership after serving the Northwest Territories through more than 80 years of operation.

NTCL was the largest marine transportation service provider in the Northwest Territories, delivering essential petroleum products and cargo, including customer goods and construction materials, to communities along the Mackenzie River and across the western Arctic.

NTCL served ten Northwest Territories...

This is something we can look into, and I can reach out to my colleague in the Yukon just to see how well this is actually working.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in the House a couple of days ago, safety is our number one priority. We will have a look at the situation and, if it is impeding on the highway and the safety of travellers on the highway, we will have a look at it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I've stated, we have the Energy Strategy that's going around; they're feeding information back to the department, not just on climate change and carbon tax but also Arctic Energy Alliance. We've committed that we want to do a review of Arctic Energy Alliance. As I said, some programs have fulfilled themselves and been quite successful. Things like the condo one that the Member has brought up, it's been actually moved to another line item there where people can still access that. If his particular neighbour is interested in doing something there, there is actually money...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That has made it through Cabinet already. Normally, we would wait until the budget procedure was done and we would bring that to committee, but I can make that commitment to sharing that with the Members. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to clarify that it is actually 36 days that cost us $1.8 million. I stand behind, as I have said on a number of initiatives, that we warrant that this initiative being put forward as a costsaving measure is justifiable, and we will stand behind it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.