Daniel McNeely

Now that there has been some dialogue on the programs available to Canadians, more specifically on the application of the Mackenzie Valley Highway, has the Minister and the group had some discussions on a formula or financing plan on the programs available to support the Mackenzie Valley Highway application?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question is: if there is going to be any reductions in our operating from the previous owner in the costs of doing so, and if there is room for reduced benefits seeing and the rate price per freight, would that information be provided to me, please? Thank you.

That would mean that the operational schedule has taken into account and is monitoring the water levels, in particular, between Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope? It could be challenging with the two sets of rapids in that area, and the fuel quantum going to Fort Good Hope and Tulita. Is that part of the first sailing season in June?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize the current Pages and the previous Pages who assisted us during the session, and the staff in behind the scenes, as well as the interpreters and writers of the Hansard who help us during the session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today we conclude our winter session. With it we conclude our 2017-18 budget.

I know that some of my colleagues here and some residents we serve may view our work as incomplete.

Not all needs were met.

Not all needs can be met.

Together we achieved the budget that will bring services to Northerners, especially Northerners in critical need, like our elders, our youth, our people with housing needs, and our people living below the poverty line.

We are also seeing some important investment in major highway infrastructure projects.

Although I would like to see...

Seeing that the public owns these assets here, are there any additional benefits such as subsidized freight rates that the customers could realize by this government owning the property, subsidy benefits?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my statement yesterday, they were getting into the season of winter road closure and looking forward to the barging season. Our session will start at the end of May and, just weeks prior to that or after that, we’ll get into the sailing season. My question is to the Minister of Public Works on the sailing and preparation steps here for the barging season: what sailing schedules, if any, have been done so far for the Sahtu communities? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, colleagues. Such as:

Clarify regulatory and permitting processes;

Give certainty around land access;

Engage with all stakeholders; and

Strengthen us against the ups and downs of national and global markets.

We need that work. We need to collaborate and strategize. Why? Because, at the end of the day, we are very vulnerable to those ups and downs. When it comes to what we produce, whether it is diamonds, oil and gas, fish, timber, or tourism services, our products are only as valuable as consumers' desire to purchase them.

To weather these storms, we will need to work together, like we...

I, too, Mr. Speaker, will talk about carnivals, but it wasn't coordinated, just for everybody's reference.

Mr. Speaker, signs of spring are here, and longer daylight. The Sahtu residents are using this last month of winter ice road usage to visit friends and relatives outside the region, restocking of groceries and dry goods and materials, participation in other region's events, like the Hay River carnival, the Fort Simpson carnival, and the upcoming Hand Games Tournament in Behchoko this weekend.

Mr. Speaker, the same could be said by this government on fuel resupplies, project readiness, or...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. To the amendment. Taking into account the integrity of this institution and listening to my colleague across the way who has legal background and looking at the amendment and the wording on exceptional circumstances, that could be defined in several ways, if passed, could go against the integrity of this institution to use something so vague that would be caught up in litigation for several weeks or several months depending on the court's schedule to really define what is exceptional. By that time, two Assemblies may have passed. To me, it doesn't strengthen the integrity...