Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories has three major projects that it's identified as priorities: The Taltson hydroelectric expansion and submarine line, the Arctic Security and Economic Corridor, and the Mackenzie Valley Highway. We know the Mackenzie Valley Highway is well advanced. But all these projects are very important to the future of our economy. Today I want to ask the Premier if he views the Yellowknife Airport as a strategic asset worthy of that list. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Mr. Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I understand the question to be is it my opinion that the Yellowknife Airport, as a project, is of the same, I guess, importance as the Mackenzie Valley Highway or the Slave Geological Province or the Taltson Hydro Expansion? So I'd have to say that, you know, the airport's very important obviously. I'm in there -- Mr. Speaker, you're in there quite often. It gets used by people around the territory. No doubt that it is a very important asset. If you're looking at the Mackenzie Valley Highway, that's a multi-billion dollar asset that will be constructed over a number of years. If you look at the Slave Geological Province, it's a multi-billion dollar road that would unlock untold mineral potential. And we look at the Taltson Hydro Expansion, and that is actually really a key part of that economic corridor. So the Yellowknife Airport, it's doing its job right now. Could it be expanded to do a better job? Absolutely. But the other projects are nation building. They are of a different scale all together. And so while every piece of that Arctic corridor, whether it's the highway coming into the territory, the rail line up to the support in Hay River, or the Yellowknife Airport, they're all important pieces. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the reason I brought it up is the theme of the corridor is one of corridors, not any one project as the Premier alluded to, but also the defence aspects of it. We have DND and NORAD funding that's waiting to be unlocked. So will the Premier join the calls from Yellowknife's city hall to the Yellowknife chamber and encourage the investment in the Yellowknife Airport as part, wrap it in, the Arctic Security and Economic Corridor because it fits in with the mandate and it's a vital asset that's not -- that's currently underutilized, and we're sitting on potentially tonnes of potential to invest in this asset. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So we're trying to keep things simple. When we're talking about going to the feds to look for funding to build a road, that's what we're looking for. The larger idea of the corridor, which involves different modes of transportation, different pieces of infrastructure, it's something that we're also live to and we do have discussions with the federal government about it. Myself and the deputy Premier met with the Minister of National Defence, and we discussed a number of different pieces of infrastructure in the territory and different needs we have, including the Yellowknife Airport. I know the Minister has spoken with the finance. The deputy Premier's spoken with the federal finance Minister about this. We have multiple departments engaged in this. So this is not something that is being ignored. But that said, when we want -- when we're looking for funding to build a certain project, we try to keep things to that project. So we don't want to confuse anyone. We want to be clear about what we're asking for. But there's no doubt that there are more needs in the territory than just a couple roads and a hydro expansion, and we do keep that on the fed's radar as well, and we discuss that with them at every opportunity. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier if he can direct the federal envoy to begin discussions with the federal government on a clear plan to advance the asset -- or the asset potential and resource needs of the Yellowknife Airport. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a number of departments and Ministers working on advancing the Yellowknife Airport project in terms of upgrades and looking at the future potential, and we'll continue to do that and take a whole-of-government approach. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
