Wally Schumann

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Transportation is committed to addressing NWT's infrastructure deficit and improving the level of services provided by the NWT transportation system. The department has recently released a 25-year transportation strategy entitled “Connecting Us,” which will guide the actions, and maintain and improve existing infrastructure, expand the highway system to better connect communities and support economic development, and modernize transportation programs and policies to improve service delivery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to be clear, there will be areas where industrial activities will not be permitted within the park. Our research, however, has helped to ensure that areas of high mineral potential have been excluded and it will allow some industrial activities to take place. This too is part of the balance approach offered by northern tools. Beyond this the possibility, more importantly, the creation of this area also allows us to diversify the economy by opening up an entirely new industry, the conservation economy, with focus on tourism and recreational activities.

There may very be well a nominal fee for park access, but we are in the early days on this issue. I can say that we intend to work with Parks Canada to ensure that the experience for park users is seamless, so that people can move between the territorial and federal portions without really knowing that they are doing so.

The fiscal and legal responsibility to ensure safe marine operation conditions in the Northwest Territories and across Canada is a federal responsibility. This includes dredging of the Hay River harbour to ensure safe operating conditions for all vessels with sufficient water depths to ensure safe and unobstructed passage. The Department of Transportation continues to press the federal government to maintain marine facilities in NWT. The Department of Transportation is also finalizing plans for a workshop in Hay River in mid-April with the focus on the Hay River harbour and dredging. Key...

The economic importance of the Hay River harbour to private industry, commercial fishing industry, tourism, and recreational users in the public sector, the Canadian Coast Guard and the National Defence marine supply operations will have an impact on the cost of living. Twelve communities depend on marine resupply for delivery of essential cargo; four communities depend exclusively on marine and air resupply. Fifteen per cent reduction in maximum barge loads last summer for Hay River; a significant infill and the siltation are key locations in the Hay River harbour and East Channel impacts on...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the economy, environment and climate change among the priorities identified by the 18th Legislative Assembly, the Government of Northwest Territories is pleased to highlight the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway construction project as a leading example of economic diversification and environmental stewardship. Since the third construction season began in early January, already more than 300 individuals are back at work on the project. Over 70 per cent of the contractors' 24-hour workforce is comprised of residents of the Beaufort-Delta region and other NWT communities...

 Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Weke'ezhii Renewable Resource Board has started public meetings on this process, starting tomorrow, I will have to take the Member's question on notice. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Absolutely. These items have been and will continue to be taken into account as we move forward. A good example of this is we use the firearms for personal protection. We need to make sure we consider our unique northern context when we approach such issues. Our northern tools approach offers us that flexibility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank the Member for the question. The Member is right: This is an important and extremely beautiful part of the Northwest Territories, truly an area worth protecting for the current and future generations of people of the Northwest Territories and Canada. The GNWT has worked collaboratively towards that goal of protection with Aboriginal governments, Parks Canada, and other stakeholders. Our aim was to develop the made-in-the-NWT solution that gave us the exposure and investment associated with the federal and national park, while at the same time allowing...

I recently met with Minister Tootoo, the federal Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, in January in Ottawa. We discussed the NWT marine issues, including dredging of the Hay River harbour. We also followed up with Minister Tootoo on a formal request for reinstatement of the federal Arctic marine resupply sites and the management program within the NWT, with emphasis on critical need for proper maintenance of the 14 federally owned and operated community marine facilities in the NWT, including the Hay River harbour. Proper maintenance is essential to safe and timely cost...